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Japan Times
a day ago
- Business
- Japan Times
Osaka Expo sees strong ticket sales
Ticket sales for the ongoing 2025 Osaka Expo have been strong recently. The number of tickets sold in a week has exceeded 500,000 for three consecutive weeks since mid-May. If the current pace continues, total cumulative sales may reach 18.4 million, the level that makes the operation of the six-month Osaka Expo profitable. Meanwhile, the increase in visitors has led to issues such as long lines occurring more frequently. Maintaining visitor satisfaction is now a major challenge, especially as temperatures are set to rise. The Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition aimed to sell 14 million advance tickets by the April 13 start of the Expo. Actual sales fell short of the target, at about 9.7 million, however. Still, sales began to increase gradually after the opening. "The appeal of the expo is becoming known" to the public, a senior official of the association said. In particular, sales of season passes, for which price discounts were applied until the end of May, were robust. In addition, starting May 7, the entry time for night ticket holders was moved up to 4 p.m. from 5 p.m., which contributed to strong ticket sales. The association hopes that about 80% of the Expo operation costs seen totaling ¥116 billion will be covered with ticket sales revenue. If tickets continue to sell at the pace of 500,000 per week, cumulative sales would reach 18.4 million by mid-August, possibly making the Expo operation profitable. But Jun Takashina, deputy secretary-general of the association, sounded cautious at a news conference on June 2. "We need to carefully monitor how long sales will remain brisk and the possibility of sales starting to decline at some point," Takashina said. The number of visitors is also on the rise. Daily visitors hit the highest level of about 170,000 on May 31, apparently thanks to a series of popular events such as a live concert and a fireworks show. The association expects a total of 28.2 million people will visit the expo, which ends Oct. 13. The daily number of visitors is seen peaking at 220,000. However, an association official cautioned that there are no events or services capable of entertaining some 200,000 visitors at the same time. The association is also concerned that waiting in line for a long time in front of pavilions in the summer could increase the risk of heatstroke. "It's not that we are trying to attract as many visitors as possible no matter what," Takashina said. The association plans to respond appropriately while listening to visitors' opinions, among other things.
Japan Today
26-05-2025
- Health
- Japan Today
Osaka Expo reverses no-smoking policy despite methane ignition fears
The organizer of the World Exposition in Osaka has recently decided to set up two smoking areas within the event's venue by early June, reversing its earlier policy despite lingering fears about the potential ignition of underground methane gas. Until now, those who wished to smoke had to leave the 155-hectare venue and go to one of two designated areas outside its east gate. The lack of accessible smoking spots prompted some staff and participants to smoke in unauthorized areas. The organizing committee said it made the decision after staff who smoke complained about the inconvenience of walking across the large venue to reach the smoking areas. One of the new smoking areas will be set up on the western side of the venue, according to the committee. In March 2024, an explosion occurred when sparks from welding ignited methane gas, fanning concerns that the substance accumulating underground at the venue could cause a serious accident during the global event, which many world leaders are scheduled to visit. Jun Takashina, a deputy secretary general of the Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition, said at a press conference on Monday that the smoking areas "will be installed in places where the fire department does not prohibit open flames." Health experts, meanwhile, have pointed out the issue of secondhand smoke, saying that allowing smoking, even in designated areas, runs counter to the Osaka expo's theme of building a sustainable society and improving lives. They added one of the two existing smoking areas outside the east gate is already exposing others to secondhand smoke. "We live in a world where a smoking ban in public places is a common practice," said Bungaku Watanabe, director of the nonprofit organization Japan Society for Tobacco Control. "It would be best to totally ban smoking at the expo," he added. Tomoyasu Hirano, a professor of human sciences at Osaka University of Economics, said that if the expo organizer allows smoking within the venue, designated areas must be completely separated from visitor flow to prevent exposure to secondhand smoke and complaints about the smell. © KYODO
The Mainichi
29-04-2025
- Business
- The Mainichi
Ticket sales for Osaka expo top 10 mil., most sold in advance
OSAKA (Kyodo) -- Admission ticket sales for the World Exposition in Osaka topped 10 million in about two weeks after its opening on April 13, organizers said Monday, with most of them sold in advance. The Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition is aiming to sell 23 million tickets for the six-month expo, hoping to use the admissions to cover the event's running costs. A total of about 10.41 million tickets were sold as of Friday, of which 9.69 million were advance-sale and 717,000 were sold after the opening, according to the association. Sales of advance tickets have fallen short of the 14 million target. Jun Takashina, a deputy secretary general at the association, said sales of season passes, which allow attendees to visit multiple times, are increasing thanks to positive word-of-mouth from visitors.
Kyodo News
28-04-2025
- Business
- Kyodo News
Ticket sales for Osaka expo top 10 mil., most sold in advance
KYODO NEWS - 7 hours ago - 19:20 | Japan, Expo, All Admission ticket sales for the World Exposition in Osaka topped 10 million in about two weeks after its opening on April 13, organizers said Monday, with most of them sold in advance. The Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition is aiming to sell 23 million tickets for the six-month expo, hoping to use the admissions to cover the event's running costs. A total of about 10.41 million tickets were sold as of Friday, of which 9.69 million were advance-sale and 717,000 were sold after the opening, according to the association. Sales of advance tickets have fallen short of the 14 million target. Jun Takashina, a deputy secretary general at the association, said sales of season passes, which allow attendees to visit multiple times, are increasing thanks to positive word-of-mouth from visitors. Related coverage: "Flying car" demos at Osaka Expo halted as part falls mid-flight World Expo in Osaka tops 1 mil. visitors in first 13 days
Kyodo News
28-04-2025
- Business
- Kyodo News
Ticket sales for Osaka expo top 10 mil., most sold in advance
KYODO NEWS - 16 minutes ago - 19:20 | Japan, Expo, All Admission ticket sales for the World Exposition in Osaka topped 10 million in about two weeks after its opening on April 13, organizers said Monday, with most of them sold in advance. The Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition is aiming to sell 23 million tickets for the six-month expo, hoping to use the admissions to cover the event's running costs. A total of about 10.41 million tickets were sold as of Friday, of which 9.69 million were advance-sale and 717,000 were sold after the opening, according to the association. Sales of advance tickets have fallen short of the 14 million target. Jun Takashina, a deputy secretary general at the association, said sales of season passes, which allow attendees to visit multiple times, are increasing thanks to positive word-of-mouth from visitors. Related coverage: "Flying car" demos at Osaka Expo halted as part falls mid-flight World Expo in Osaka tops 1 mil. visitors in first 13 days
