Photo/Illutration The huge screen at the Korea Pavilion at Yumeshima, Osaka (Nobuhiro Shirai)

OSAKA—The Osaka Expo will be offering discounts on season passes for visitors in April and May and selling same-day tickets at the door while supplies last, the organizers announced on Feb. 25.

The Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition hopes that these measures will simplify the ticket-buying process and boost attendance in the opening months of the world’s fair, when turnout is expected to be slow.

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba discussed these changes in an online meeting with Osaka Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura and in person with Yoshihiro Murai, the chairman of the National Governors’ Association and Miyagi governor, at the prime minister’s office.

“In addition to simplifying the ticket-purchasing process, we will emphasize that visitors can fully enjoy the expo without needing prior reservations,” Ishiba said.

The price for a season pass, normally 30,000 yen ($200) for adults, will be dropped to 24,000 yen for those who attend the expo by the end of May. Discount coupons will be distributed near the venue gates to those visitors.

Season pass holders will also be allowed to enter from 9 a.m. onwards, rather than 11 a.m.

The association also officially approved the sale of same-day tickets at the venue, which Yoshimura and Ishiba had agreed to introduce.

Ticket counters will be set up by the east and west entrance gates.

With same-day tickets, visitors can access any pavilions and events that do not require reservations. However, sales will be limited to days and times when attendance is not already at full capacity.

The association will announce on its website whether same-day tickets will be available the next day and during what times.

Initially, the event’s organizers planned to sell same-day tickets only after 11 a.m. on weekends and holidays.

However, this restriction was scrapped following backlash, including a statement from Yoshimura that “if reservations aren’t fully booked, tickets should be sold at any time.”

A new ticket type, which can be bought online without needing to register an “Expo ID” for identity verification, will also be introduced.

However, this ticket will only provide entry to the venue and will not allow advanced reservations for pavilions or events.

Because the expo will be held on the artificial island of Yumeshima in Osaka Bay, which has limited access by land, the organizers originally planned to control attendance and crowds by requiring that all tickets be booked in advance.  

However, the ticketing and reservation system has been widely criticized for being overly complicated, with participating countries also voicing concerns.

With ticket sales struggling, Yoshimura and others appealed directly to the prime minister to make improvements.

(This article was written by Tatsuya Harada, Juntaro Oka and Akina Nishi.)

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