Japan will register its bid to host the 2005 World Exposition in Aichi Prefecture with an international expo body by late August, International Trade and Industry Minister Takashi Fukaya said Friday.
Japan had initially planned to register its bid with the Paris-based International Bureau of Expositions in May, but later decided to defer the move when the BIE called on Japan to revise its plan due to environmental concerns.
"Preparations for the Aichi expo are progressing smoothly, with the draft plan being mapped out through discussions with environmental groups," Fukaya told a news conference.
Exposition organizers are required to register plans in principle five years before the event under BIE rules. With the registration, the organizer can formally invite participants to the expo.