Latest news with #HirofumiYoshimura
SoraNews24
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- SoraNews24
Attendees to Expo 2025 hit record numbers despite record numbers of bugs
Maybe everyone's coming to see the bugs? As the days go by, the clouds of tiny, harmless flies gradually expand over the venue of the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo. Although they've become a thorn in the side of organizers and the Osaka government, they don't seem to be having an adverse effect on the number of people showing up. In fact, attendance has never been better! On 23 May, a new single-day attendance record was set at 139,000 regular visitors, surpassing even the number of people who attended on opening day and helping to push the total number of visitors over four million. This also brings the Expo closer to the 150,000 guests per day needed to achieve its goal of 28.2 million over the course of the whole event. Additional discounts and a special early gate are said to have helped contribute to the increased numbers. However, it's hard not to wonder if this insect phenomenon might actually be attracting people too. When you think about it, getting some pictures and video of it is great for engagement on social media. ▼ TV shows sure do like to get shots of them. The possibility that people are coming to see the chironomids is not a chance the Osaka government is willing to embrace, though. In a press conference on 27 May, Osaka Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura said that efforts to curb the spread of these insects are going full speed ahead. He also reminded everyone that even though these insects look like little mosquitoes they have no ability to bite people and pose no threat, aside from the piles of their dead bodies possibly triggering allergies. He also said that Earth Chemical, a company with whom the Osaka Prefectural government has a partnership agreement, is already on the scene and has set up a Chironomid Countermeasure HQ along with the Expo Association to deal with the gentle but creepy bugs. Yoshimura added: 'I think this is a very difficult issue. It is not something that can be easily overcome, but we will take all possible measures while incorporating the knowledge of experts.' Speaking of experts, Professor Yuji Ikeya of the University of Tokyo's pharmaceutical sciences department appeared on TV and bluntly said, 'I think they should just give up.' He explained that the larvae of the chironomids are quite resilient and at their current numbers are probably impossible to eradicate by human means. The larvae's natural predators are fish, but since the Expo's large pond of water has no fish, their numbers are free to flourish. ▼ The massive fountain shows with projection mapping in the water area probably make it hard to put fish in there. Instead, Ikeya suggests the Expo embraces the flies as a part of their theme of 'Designing a Future Society for Our Lives' since they're a great example of life triumphing. He adds they should even make a little chironomid mascot to complement Myaku-Myaku. I suspect he was joking about a lot of that, but he does have a point that these swarms of insects exemplify life at its purest and could be seen as an exhibit all their own. It's just too bad it couldn't have been a population explosion of red pandas, otters, or some other more socially embraced creature. Source: YTV News NNN, MBS News, Nikkan Sports Photos ©SoraNews24 ● Want to hear about SoraNews24's latest articles as soon as they're published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
The Mainichi
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Mainichi
Osaka Gov. wants 1970 Osaka Expo symbol Tower of the Sun listed as World Heritage
OSAKA -- Japan's Council for Cultural Affairs on May 16 recommended to the education and culture minister that the Tower of the Sun, a symbol of the 1970 Osaka Expo that embodied the design of famed artist Taro Okamoto, be designated an important cultural property. The approximately 70-meter-tall tower, located in the Osaka Prefecture city of Suita, combines ferroconcrete and steel-frame structures, with scholars and architects infusing the cutting-edge technology of the time. Osaka Gov. Hirofumi Yoshimura told reporters on May 16 about the anticipated designation, "It is of great significance that the Tower of the Sun, a symbol of the Osaka Expo in 1970, will be designated an important cultural property. We'd like to aim for the tower to be listed as a World Heritage site next." While the Tower of the Sun had initially been scheduled to be dismantled after the Expo, formally the Japan World Exposition, Osaka, 1970, requests from local residents and others led to a decision to preserve the monument. Following seismic reinforcement work, the Osaka Prefectural Government has opened the tower's inside to the public since 2018. The prefecture began academic surveys by experts in 2021 with the aim of having the tower designated an important cultural asset. Regarding the ongoing Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Yoshimura remarked, "I was reminded once again that we are carrying out a project of extreme significance." As discussions are underway regarding the preservation and utilization of the Grand Ring, a symbol of the current Expo, after the event, the governor enthused, "The Tower of the Sun, which had been slated to be taken down, is now set to be designated an important cultural property. The Grand Ring has also been appreciated by many people as an amazing piece of architecture. I'd like to pursue the possibility of preserving part of it in its current form." Hiroyuki Ishige, secretary-general of the Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition, released a comment on May 16 regarding the likely designation, stating, "It will be an event that symbolizes the (1970) Osaka Expo, which still lives on in the memory of so many people, and I think it's wonderful." The Tower of the Sun was designated a national registered tangible cultural property in 2020. In recommending the tower to the culture minister for the designation, the Council for Cultural Affairs highly rated the structure, stating, "It is valuable as a legacy symbolizing Japan in its high economic growth period" that spanned from the mid-1950s through the early 1970s.
The Mainichi
23-05-2025
- Business
- The Mainichi
Osaka expo to open gates minutes earlier to deal with crowding
OSAKA (Kyodo) -- The opening time of the World Exposition in Osaka will be moved up by five to 10 minutes from the current 9 a.m. starting Sunday to ease overcrowding at the gates, a source close to the matter said. The Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition said Friday it will also introduce same-day reservations for "park and ride" slots starting Saturday and lower some fees for the system, which requires visitors to park at designated areas and take shuttle buses to the venue, in a bid to boost its popularity. The schedule change comes after some visitors were unable to reach the pavilions in time for their reservations, the source said, adding that the association will determine the exact opening time based on crowd levels. Osaka Gov. Hirofumi Yoshimura, who has been calling for opening the gates earlier, said in a post on X, formerly Twitter, "We should continue exploring more (options). This marks the first step." Under the current park-and-ride system, visitors must reserve slots by the day before their arrival, with fees for parking cars at a nearest area ranging from 4,500 yen ($31) to 7,500 yen. After the changes, visitors will be able to reserve slots on the day of their visit, with prices ranging from 6,500 yen to 7,500 yen. A new discount will also be introduced, with parking after 3 p.m. costing between 3,000 and 3,500 yen. Although organizers have prepared parking areas with capacity for over 10,000 vehicles, weekday occupancy rates remain low. Yoshimura had earlier proposed that the association halve the parking fee for vehicles carrying more than four expo visitors.
SoraNews24
22-05-2025
- SoraNews24
Osaka governor calls president of Earth to deal with swarms of Expo bugs
Earth to Osaka… When we previously visited the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo, we addressed a number of common complaints and criticisms that were floating around the Internet, but a new one emerged only recently: 'It's full of bugs!' ▼ A news report on the bugs. I had encountered the bugs when I went. They were tiny things that look a little like really small mosquitoes but never landed on people, let alone bit anyone. They just kind of hovered over everyone's heads in swarms like aphids. I only encountered them on the upper deck of the Grand Ring on the side that goes partly into the ocean, and only around sunset. They were kind of creepy and unpleasant, but fairly mild compared with what you'd run into in a field or along a river. At the time, I was willing to give it the benefit of the doubt as one of those seasonal things like mayflies that run their course in a week or so. ▼ At first glance, you might think those specks in this photo taken from the Grand Ring are birds flying in the distance, but they're really flies about a foot away from me. Turns out I was wrong, and the Expo venue is now increasingly flooded with these little insects that have been identified as chironomids, more casually known as 'non-biting midges' and even more casually known as 'blind mosquitoes', 'lake flies', 'muckleheads', 'muffleheads', 'chizzywinks', and other names, depending on the region. According to reports, they are now seen in large numbers in lower parts of the Grand Ring and even near pavilions on the water side. Complaints about them have been coming in fast and furiously on social media. ▼ Yeah… they definitely weren't this bad when I was there. 「閲覧注意」 大屋根リングの虫まみれも酷いけど、コンビニ？内にまで虫が入ってるのとか、ヤバ過ぎる、、、#万博#万博ヤバイ#万博虫まみれ — 市 (@0XXX0000) May 21, 2025 In response to this, Osaka Prefecture governor Hirofumi Yoshimura announced on 21 May that the prefecture has put in a request with Earth Chemical, Japan's leading producer of pesticides… excuse me, 'insect care products.' Yoshimura said he spoke directly with the president of Earth and that he is confident the knowledge they have gained in their vast experience would be put to good use here. Among the typical cynicism found in online comments about the Expo, some readers of news wondered why Tokyo-based Earth Chemical was called in instead of the hometown insecticide producers at Kincho. Others wondered if a mass extermination is really in the spirit of the Expo. 'There must be some reason behind them asking Earth instead of Kincho, which is headquartered in Osaka.' 'Well, Earth was founded in Osaka and moved to Tokyo during the bubble era.' 'Sounds like the Expo's theme has changed from 'making life shine' to 'harvesting life.'' 'Sounds like the Expo's going even deeper into the red paying for this.' 'I heard the chironomid season is until mid-July, so they better act fast or just wait it out.' 'The bugs were pretty bad near the water show.' 'Tropical fish or medaka would happily eat the larvae of those insects.' 'Poor flies… They're not hurting anyone and die in a few days anyway. Why kill them just because they multiply in large numbers and are unpleasant?' I tend to agree with that last comment in that, compared to most insects I've encountered throughout my life, those bugs are rather innocuous. And unless they've gotten bolder in recent days, they tend to just keep to themselves, albeit only a couple inches from people's heads. Also, I think if you're going to build an enormous wooden structure as a symbol of humanity's harmony with nature, you really should expect insects to be a part of that harmony too. Call me crazy, but launching a chemical attack on them feels a little out of step with that theme. At least using medaka to eat them has a certain circle-of-life quality to it. Source: YTV News NNN. Hachima Kiko Photos ©SoraNews24 ● Want to hear about SoraNews24's latest articles as soon as they're published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
Japan Forward
22-05-2025
- Business
- Japan Forward
Tourist Consumption Tax Exemption Under Fire Over Abuse
With rising prices, public focus on potential consumption tax cuts is growing. Simultaneously, though, debate is also heating up around Japan's tax exemption system for inbound foreign tourists. The government insists that the exemption is essential to its goal of becoming a "tourism nation." However, lawmakers from both ruling and opposition parties argue that the system unfairly privileges foreign visitors. On top of that, there has been frustration with the rampant resale of duty-free goods by foreigners abusing the system. Although set to transition to a refund-based model in November 2026, expectations for increased tax revenue have kept calls for its full abolishment alive. Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker Kenji Nakanishi called for an end to the duty-free system. Speaking at a Diet committee session on finance and taxation in December 2024, he stated, "The duty-free system should be scrapped." He argued that, given the weak yen and strong purchasing appetite among inbound tourists. Eliminating the tax exemption, he argued, would have little economic impact. According to government data, foreign tourists in Japan made ¥1.59 trillion JPY (approximately $10.2 billion USD) in duty-free purchases in 2023. If the 10% consumption tax had been applied, it would have translated into about ¥160 billion ($1.03 billion) in additional tax revenue. Japan is expecting even more tourists in the coming years, especially with events like the ongoing 2025 Osaka Expo. As a result, duty-free purchases seem set to continue increasing. Osaka Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura (leader of Nippon Ishin no Kai) echoed this sentiment during a press conference on April 21. "It only makes sense to ask wealthy foreign visitors to pay the same consumption tax as Japanese citizens," he stated. Fueling the abolition movement is the widespread abuse of the current system. Foreigners posing as tourists have been found purchasing large volumes of tax-free goods. Many then resell these items in their home countries, adding the tax amount to turn a profit. The government compiles statistics on taxpayers and exemptions. According to those, between FY2022- 2023, customs detected only about 10% of departing passengers who purchased over ¥100,000 million (approximately $700,000 ). Since customs checks at departure are voluntary, some travelers reportedly avoided inspection altogether by, for example, refusing to present their passports. Moreover, in over 90% of the cases that were detected, the travelers no longer had the duty-free goods in their possession. This made tax collection nearly impossible. As one government official noted, "Even if we impose taxes, they're almost never paid." To combat this, the government has decided to implement a "refund-based system" starting November 2026. Under this model, visitors will pay the full price, including tax, and receive a refund at departure after customs confirmation. A source familiar with the tax system said, "This should effectively eliminate resale abuse." Still, calls for abolition persist — largely due to the appeal of increased tax revenue. International tax principles hold that consumption taxes should be applied in the country where a product is consumed. That's why Japan doesn't tax exports. Since foreign tourists theoretically take their purchases abroad, these goods are considered de facto exports and currently qualify for exemption. Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has defended the system. In a February 4 Diet session, he stated, "There are purchases that can only be made in Japan," underscoring the tourism value. However, the United States has no value-added tax and offers no exemptions in most states. And the United Kingdom abolished its tax exemption for visitors after leaving the European Union in 2020. Yuichiro Tamaki, head of the Democratic Party for the People, also called for revisiting the system on his YouTube channel this spring. He cited examples like the US and UK and argued that Japan should redirect tax revenue toward areas that improve domestic prosperity. With the Upper House election approaching this summer, the issue is likely to remain on the political agenda. Kagawa University Professor (of Tax Law) Takashi Aoki points out that the global standard is to apply consumption taxes in the country where goods are actually consumed. In Japan, services like meals and lodging are taxed because they're used domestically, but goods taken abroad are exempt, in line with this principle. Eliminating the exemption as some have proposed, he warns, would place Japan at odds with international norms. However, moving to a system that refunds taxes when goods are taken out of the country is in line with international norms. He offers the example of automakers purchasing parts in Japan for export vehicles: while they pay consumption tax at the time of purchase, the tax is refunded upon export since the final product is consumed overseas. Ending this refund system would disrupt trade and violate widely accepted global practices, something Japan cannot change unilaterally. The same logic, Aoki explains, should apply to duty-free shopping by tourists. Although reselling goods under the guise of tourism is essentially tax evasion, the real issue lies in enforcement. "Cracking down on abuse is necessary," he says, "but scrapping the entire system just because some people exploit it is an overreaction. The priority should be stopping the fraud, not eliminating the exemption itself." According to the National Tax Agency, only items purchased within 90 days of departure will qualify for a tax refund. Duty-free stores will electronically transmit purchase records to the agency's management system. At departure, customs officials will verify whether the traveler is taking the goods out of the country. If confirmed, the tax will be refunded to the buyer via bank transfer or credit card. The new system will also abolish the current ¥500,000 ($3,200) daily cap on tax-free consumables such as cosmetics and alcohol. For purchases exceeding ¥1 million (pre-tax), stores will be required to report product names and serial numbers. This measure aims to prevent fraud or product substitution. Additionally, the distinction between consumables and general goods will be eliminated, streamlining procedures for retailers. However, concerns remain that increased customs inspections could cause congestion at airports. Authorities will need to ensure adequate preparations are in place before the system rolls out. (Read the article in Japanese .) Author: The Sankei Shimbun
