One year and nine months before the scheduled opening of the 2025 Osaka Expo, no countries have submitted applications to begin construction of their pavilions.
The revelation has increased concern in Osaka that the expo will not be ready for its opening on April 13, 2025, prompting local officials to pressure Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s government to do more so the event meets what they admit is a very tight schedule for completion.
At a news briefing Monday, Osaka Gov. Hirofumi Yoshimura acknowledged the problem, and said he is pushing for the central government to do more.