The Osaka-Kansai Expo 2025, scheduled to open in less than a year, is facing significant criticism and a lack of enthusiasm from the public.

Despite being the first world’s fair held in Japan in 20 years since the Aichi Expo, concerns over rising costs, vague central themes and the overall relevance in the modern era are dampening public interest.

While concerns about construction delays persist, the organizers are expecting 28.2 million visitors during the six-month event, which will run from April 13 to Oct. 13, 2025.

However, an Asahi Shimbun survey conducted among 2,859 of its readers revealed that 81 percent of respondents indicated they have no intention of attending the expo.

Even among locals in Osaka, only 38 percent expressed interest in attending, while 62 percent remained uninterested.

The high cost of admission is cited as the primary reason for disinterest.

One-day tickets purchased during the expo period are priced at 7,500 yen ($47) for those age 18 and over, 4,200 yen for children age 12 and over and 1,800 yen for children age 4 and over. These prices are a deterrent for many families.

“The tickets are simply too expensive,” remarked a 50-year-old female respondent from Osaka Prefecture. “This isn’t a commercial theme park; they need to consider the average person’s budget.”

“I’d like to go if I could afford it, but it’s just not possible,” said a 61-year-old woman from Tokyo.

The expo’s theme, “Designing Future Society for our Lives,” has also been met with criticism for its lack of clarity.

Over a thousand respondents said they were unable to judge the expo’s appeal due to the lack of specific information about attractions. Another thousand or so simply stated that they were not interested.

Concerns about heat during the summer months and the safety of the venue, located on an artificial island, were also raised.

“I’m worried about getting heatstroke,” said a 54-year-old woman from Shizuoka Prefecture.

“I’m afraid of a possible earthquake or an explosion occurring at the venue,” said a 66-year-old woman from Hyogo Prefecture.

In March, a large explosion occurred at the construction site, believed to be caused by methane gas arising from buried waste at the former landfill site.

Despite the overall negative sentiment, some respondents expressed interest in attending due to the rarity of international expos in Japan.

A 19-year-old male from Osaka stated, “Being born in 2005, this will be my first opportunity to experience an expo. I want to make the most of it.”

A 47-year-old woman from Hyogo echoed this sentiment, explaining that her son, a high school student, is eager to attend.

The expo’s ballooning construction costs, estimated at 235 billion yen and shared one-third each by the central government, Osaka prefectural and city governments and the business community, have also drawn criticism.

Some respondents feel obligated to attend the expo to justify the significant public investment.

“I’ve come to think that I should go and enjoy myself in order to make the most of the huge amount of public money, including my own taxes, that has been invested,” said a 59-year-old woman from Shiga Prefecture.

Regardless of whether they plan to attend or not, 86 percent of respondents expressed their disapproval of holding the expo using public funds.

The lack of enthusiasm is attributed to a general decline in public interest in expos, with many labeling them as outdated and irrelevant.

“In an era where we can access visions of the future from around the world through the internet, it’s outdated to spend a lot of money and precious time going to a crowded place,” said a 55-year-old man from Osaka.

A 59-year-old woman from Tokyo added, “Do they think we’ll go back to the high-growth era if we just keep repeating the cycle of Tokyo Olympics, Osaka Expo and Sapporo Olympics? It’s pathetic that their mindset is stuck in the Showa Era (1926-1989).”

Held at the peak of Japan’s postwar economic boom, the 1970 Osaka Expo drew millions of enthusiastic visitors and is still remembered with nostalgia as a time of prosperity, a stark contrast to the country’s current economic doldrums.

The ongoing opposition to the local governments’ plan to build a casino resort on the expo site after the event is also fueling the negative perception of the world's fair. 

Despite the prevailing criticism, some respondents still hold positive views about the expo’s potential.

“I’m drawn to the value and immediacy that only real-world experiences can offer,” said a 58-year-old man from Kanagawa Prefecture.

“Having physical exhibits from around the world in one place is exciting,” said a 43-year-old man from Chiba Prefecture.

A 61-year-old man from Chiba expressed hope that the expo could spark children’s interest in something new.