Latest news with #JapanAssociationforthe
San Francisco Chronicle
a day ago
- Health
- San Francisco Chronicle
Japan's Osaka Expo temporarily suspends water shows after high levels of bacteria detected
TOKYO (AP) — Popular daily fountain shows and a shallow pool area at Expo 2025 in Osaka have been temporarily suspended due to bacterial contamination that required cleaning and safety checks, the event organisers said on Monday. The aquatic show at the Water Plaza has been suspended since June 4 when legionella bacteria of up to 20 times the legal limit was detected in the water, a week after lower levels of contamination had been found. Another water area, called the Forest of Tranquility — a shallow reservoir over 2.3 hectares (5.7 acres) where visitors can soak their feet and relax — has also been closed for cleaning due to the legionella contamination, which can cause pneumonia. The bacteria contamination is the latest problem hitting the Expo site, where swarms of midges have been bothering visitors for weeks. The venue, built on a former industrial waste burial site in the Osaka Bay in western Japan, where methane gas was detected days before the opening in April. The use of insecticides have so far not effectively blocked the midges. Organizers say they now believe the source of the midges is the Water Plaza and that additional measures are under way, such as installing an insect screen. Organizers have also taken anti-bacterial measures at the water areas, including increased sanitation, cleaning drainage pipes and increasing water circulation, to improve water quality at the reservoir and get approval for a reopening from the health authorities. Hiroyuki Ishige, secretary general of the Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition, said the organizers should have acted more quickly to close down the water area after detecting increased levels of contamination. 'We deeply apologize over the inconveniences we have caused to the visitors who were looking forward to the (water) shows,' Ishige told a media briefing on Monday. The Osaka Expo involves participants from more than 160 countries, regions and organizations who are showcasing their futuristic exhibits. Organizers had expected 28 million visitors through mid-October.
Yomiuri Shimbun
5 days ago
- Health
- Yomiuri Shimbun
2025 Expo Osaka: High Levels of Legionella Bacteria Detected at Water Plaza; Fountain Shows Cancelled on Thursday and Friday
The Yomiuri Shimbun The Water Plaza at the Osaka-Kansai Expo site in Osaka, where fountain shows have now been canceled due to the detection of high levels of Legionella bacteria in the water, is seen on Thursday. OSAKA – The Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition announced Wednesday that Legionella bacteria had been detected at very high levels in the Water Plaza, a water feature at the Osaka-Kansai Expo site. The association has decided to cancel the fountain shows scheduled for Thursday and Friday. According to the announcement, the bacteria were detected during a routine inspection conducted by the Osaka city health center on May 26. The association conducted another water quality inspection after cleaning the pipes and taking other measures starting on Saturday, but on Wednesday night they were detected again, at 20 times ordinary levels. The association decided to cancel the fountain shows after receiving advice from the health center. The association has stated that it is not in a position to evaluate the impact on human health. No one has complained of health problems at this stage, it said.
Yomiuri Shimbun
25-05-2025
- Science
- Yomiuri Shimbun
2025 Osaka Expo: Expo Venue Hit by Swarms of Chironomids; Organizers Cooperating with Pest Control Companies, Others to Deal with Outbreak
The Yomiuri Shimbun Chironomids gather around the Grand Ring at the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo in Konoha Ward, Osaka, on Friday. Swarms of mosquito-like insects are bugging visitors at the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo, prompting organizers to take countermeasures. The insects, called chironomids, do not bite people or suck their blood, but that has not made them any less unpopular with Expo visitors, who describe them as 'disgusting.' Organizers are working with insecticide makers to contain the outbreak. At around 7 p.m. on Friday, after the sun had set and the remaining light was fading, we were walking along the promenade of the Grand Ring on the south side of the venue when we felt something hit us in the face. The next moment, a swarm of bugs appeared. Many of the visitors who had climbed the ring to see a nighttime water show began brushing the bugs off themselves with their hands or putting on masks. 'It was not this bad when I came at the end of April,' said a 70-year-old woman from Osaka City who visited the event with four friends. 'I had heard about the bugs on the news. They almost got in my eyes, which was disgusting.' The Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition, the expo organizer, later identified the insects as chironomids. The bugs are believed to have spawned mainly in the Water Plaza, a wide seawater area on the south side of the venue. The chironomid belongs to the Diptera order. There are reportedly 1,000 to 2,000 species of chironomids in Japan. According to Toyo Sangyo Co., a pest control company in Okayama City, and others, adult chironomids measure about 0.5 millimeters to 1 centimeter. They lay their eggs in rivers, irrigation canals and puddles. The larvae feed on organic matter in the water, which helps improve the water quality — one positive aspect to them. The adults are active from dusk to night and often gather around lights. When mating, they fly in swarms to form what is called a mosquito column. They do not feed. After hatching, they mate, lay eggs and die. Their lifespan is only a few days. In extremely rare cases, they can cause an allergic reaction in humans if they enter the mouth. Nao Yamamoto of Mizuken, an environmental analysis company in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture, examined insects collected at the Expo site and found them to be a species known as Chironomus salinarius Kieffer. The species is salt-tolerant and lives in areas where fresh water and seawater mix, and outbreaks peak in May and June, he said. According to Yamamoto, the outbreak at the Expo venue is due mainly to the existence of the Water Plaza and the absence of competing salt-tolerant creatures and natural predators in the area. The Expo association has sprayed an insect growth inhibitor over puddles and planting zones on the Grand Ring. It has also consulted with experts and the Environment Ministry on how to deal with the problem. Osaka Gov. Hirofumi Yoshimura said at a news conference on Wednesday that he had asked Earth Corp., a major insecticide company in Tokyo, to help solve the problem.
Japan Today
23-04-2025
- Business
- Japan Today
Osaka Expo draws 1 million visitors in 11 days since opening
People visit the U.S. pavilion at the Osaka Expo on April 13. The number of visitors to the World Exposition in Osaka reached one million on Wednesday, in 11 days since its opening, the organizers said. Speaking at an event to mark the milestone, Hiroyuki Ishige, secretary general of the Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition, said the expo will be a good holiday destination for a "once in a lifetime" experience during the upcoming Golden Week season. The organizers expect over 28 million visitors to the six-month event. "It's great to be here. I'm interested in the U.S. and Nordic pavilions," said 37-year-old Makoto Miyamori, who attended the ceremony with his family. When Japan last hosted the expo in Aichi Prefecture in 2005, it took 17 days from the opening for the number of visitors to reach one million. © KYODO
Japan Today
23-04-2025
- Business
- Japan Today
Expo Osaka draws 1 million visitors in 11 days since opening
People visit the U.S. pavilion at the Osaka Expo on April 13. The number of visitors to the World Exposition in Osaka reached one million on Wednesday, in 11 days since its opening, the organizers said. Speaking at an event to mark the milestone, Hiroyuki Ishige, secretary general of the Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition, said the expo will be a good holiday destination for a "once in a lifetime" experience during the upcoming Golden Week season. The organizers expect over 28 million visitors to the six-month event. "It's great to be here. I'm interested in the U.S. and Nordic pavilions," said 37-year-old Makoto Miyamori, who attended the ceremony with his family. When Japan last hosted the expo in Aichi Prefecture in 2005, it took 17 days from the opening for the number of visitors to reach one million. © KYODO
