Controversy Over the '200 Million Yen Restroom'... 'Rip-off' vs 'Former Glory' What Will Happen to the Osaka Expo? [Nichiyoubi Culture]

The Second Osaka Expo After 1970
Will Past Glory Be Recreated?
Public Indifferent Amid Overcharging and 200 Million Yen Toilets

The Osaka Expo in Japan is just one month away. It is another mega event Japan is hosting after the Tokyo Olympics. Various conflicting articles are being reported in Japan. There are positive stories saying it is already popular enough to cause hotel prices near the expo site to rise, as well as discussions about overcharging controversies. In fact, this Osaka Expo is the second time it is being held, following the 1970 Osaka Expo. Although the first expo symbolizes past glory for the Japanese people, it now seems that its significance has greatly faded. Today, we share stories related to the Osaka Expo, which is just a month away.

The 1970 Osaka Expo: A Past Glory

In South Korea, the '88 Olympics' and the 'Daejeon Expo' are remembered as important mega events that introduced Korea to the world. Similarly, the Osaka Expo held in 1970 is regarded by the Japanese as a symbol of past glory. First of all, the 1970 Osaka Expo was the first international exposition held in Asia. It was an enormous event at the time, with 77 countries participating. At that time, Japan’s Gross National Product (GNP) ranked second after the United States, making it an economic powerhouse, so the expo was more than enough to showcase Japan’s status. After hosting the Olympics in Tokyo in 1964, Japan held the expo in the Kansai region, giving the impression that both the capital and the regions were thriving. The Osaka Expo was also the first time 'IMAX' was introduced.

The scene during the 1970 Osaka Expo. Osaka Bay Expo Commemorative Park official website.

At that time, even people from rural areas in Japan came to Osaka to see the expo. It is said that 48% of visitors came from 100 km away, and 36% came from 300 km away. Considering the transportation conditions of the 1970s, this can be seen as a large-scale migration of people. The Shinkansen high-speed rail had been in operation for six years but was not well known yet. As people from far away used the Shinkansen, it became recognized as an important means of transportation. After the expo ended, having experienced this large-scale migration to the Osaka Expo, railway companies launched a travel campaign called 'Discover Japan.' This sparked a domestic travel boom.

At that time, Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka proposed the 'Island Reconstruction Theory,' aiming to eliminate disparities by connecting regional cities and the metropolitan area. He implemented policies to build Shinkansen stations and airports throughout the regions. Hosting a world-class mega event elevated Japan’s status, high-speed rail was laid in the regions, and people experienced convenient travel. In fact, the expo played a significant role in national prestige and development.

Just as the Daejeon Expo’s mascot 'Kkumdori' evoked nostalgia among adults in Korea, Japan’s 'Osaka Expo' remains a nostalgic symbol of its prosperous era. Because of this, the Osaka Expo has even appeared as a theme in various Japanese animations.

Where Has the Past Glory Gone? The Controversial 2025 Osaka Expo

The second Osaka Expo is being held 55 years later. However, public opinion is not as favorable as expected. The expo will be held from next month, April 13, to October 13. While the 1970 Osaka Expo had the purpose of showcasing Japan’s status to the world, nowadays many view mega events negatively, questioning what meaning expos hold. Additionally, construction delays and budget overruns for building the venue have worsened public opinion. The official character’s unveiling also caused shock.

Osaka Expo official character 'MyakuMyaku'. The concept is that a cell and water have become one, with the red side representing the cell and the blue side representing the water. Osaka Expo website.

A new problem that emerged a month before the event is 'overcharging.' Ramen sold inside the venue costs 2,000 yen (about 19,500 KRW) per bowl, sandwiches on a single plate cost over 1,000 yen (9,780 KRW), and soba noodles are sold for 3,850 yen (37,600 KRW) per bowl. There are widespread criticisms that food sold at the expo is generally too expensive. On Japanese social media, comments like "Japanese people won’t go anyway, only foreigners will come, so we don’t care. Let them charge whatever they want" are circulating. The Osaka Expo organizers said, "We prepared things that can only be eaten at the Osaka Expo, so we hope people enjoy them," but public opinion has not calmed down.

Also, the expo will showcase 'designer toilets' designed by young architects, but it was revealed that the budget for these is 200 million yen (about 1.955 billion KRW), which sparked another controversy. Among the 40 public toilets at the venue, 8 are designer toilets, and 2 of them are large-scale toilets with 50 to 60 toilets each. It was revealed that the installation and dismantling costs for each of these two toilets amount to 200 million yen, which caused public outrage.

The appearance of the 2025 Osaka Expo site. Osaka Expo official website.

As a result, public opinion toward the expo in Japan is not very positive. Ticket sales are sluggish. The target is to sell 14 million tickets, but as of the 5th, only 8.06 million tickets have been sold, still below the target. Most of these tickets have been purchased by companies, so attracting the general public remains a challenge. The Osaka Expo aims to sell a total of 23 million tickets by the closing, but there are concerns that domestic demand alone cannot cover this. According to a survey published by Mitsubishi Research Institute in December last year, only 24% of respondents said they want to go to the Osaka Expo, a 3 percentage point drop from the previous survey.

Therefore, local governments participating in the Osaka Expo are offering various incentives, such as distributing free tickets to students. Fukui Prefecture, for example, distributed free tickets to 80,000 elementary, middle, and high school students in the prefecture. However, since the expo admission ticket is one per person, transportation costs to Osaka and family ticket purchases must be paid separately. There are plans to invite schools as groups, but some schools are declining. Safety concerns such as difficulty evacuating during heatstroke or earthquakes, and the fact that guardians must bear transportation costs to Osaka, are reasons why even these efforts are not going well.

Still, as a mega event, it seems to be somewhat successful in attracting overseas tourists. According to the Nihon Keizai Shimbun (Nikkei), with new hotels opening one after another in Osaka ahead of the expo, hotel bookings in Osaka city from April to October have already doubled compared to the same period last year. Room rates have also risen significantly compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic, and there are expectations that accommodation prices will increase further during the expo. The Japanese government plans to significantly increase flights at Kansai International Airport to attract tourists and is expanding the immigration inspection area accordingly. The Shinkansen will run additional trains, and a temporary express train called the 'Expo Liner' will be operated. They are also considering various measures to attract tourists, such as partnering with Universal Studios Japan near the expo site.

In fact, this Osaka Expo also shows that the perception of mega events is no longer the same as before in any country. Will this expo be remembered like the glorious expos of the 1970s?