Photo/Illutration Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, second from left, receives a request and proposal document from Yoshihiro Murai, second from right, the chairman of the National Governors’ Association, at the prime minister’s office on Feb. 25. (Takeshi Iwashita)

With the Osaka-Kansai Expo set to open on April 13, the increasing number of ticket options is leaving many buyers confused.

Organizers introduced same-day tickets and discounts on season passes in February to boost sluggish sales, but the expanded selection has created new issues, with some buyers feeling overwhelmed and early season pass buyers demanding refunds after the price cut.

“We would like to carefully consider how to sell tickets in a way that truly fits people of different generations and regions,” Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said on Feb. 25 at the prime minister’s office in response to a request from the National Governors’ Association to improve the ticketing system.

Currently, expo tickets come in multiple types depending on when they are purchased and when they can be used.

For example, an early-bird one-day ticket, available for purchase before the expo opens and valid on any day during the event, costs 6,700 yen ($46) for adults.

After the expo opens, a one-day ticket will cost 7,500 yen.

In principle, those buyers must register for an “Expo ID” online for identity verification.

Following the prime minister’s remarks, the Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition announced new ticket options on the same day.

It introduced a same-day ticket, which can be purchased at the venue on the day of the visit for immediate entry.

It also announced the tentatively named “easy visitor reservation ticket” that allows people to purchase them online and select a specific date, but does not require Expo ID registration.

Additionally, the association offered a discount on the season pass that grants unlimited entry during the expo for visitors attending in April and May.

A discount coupon will be distributed at the venue to those visitors, reducing the pass price from 30,000 yen to 24,000 yen.

The organizers hope the discount will encourage early visits and attract repeat visitors.

The decision to introduce new ticket types reflects concerns over slow sales.

As of March 5, only 8.06 million advance tickets had been sold―just 57.6 percent of the target of 14 million.

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

Even before the latest additions, the ticketing and reservation system has already faced widespread criticism for being overly complicated, with participating countries also raising concerns. This has contributed to sluggish ticket sales.

The latest changes have only triggered fresh complaints.

Social media users expressed confusion, saying, “I was planning to buy a ticket, but there are too many types―I didn’t bother looking anymore.”

Early season pass buyers are also upset about the newly announced discount.

“I bought it early to support the expo, but now there is a discount. I want a refund for the difference,” one buyer said.

Hiroyuki Ishige, the association’s secretary-general, defended the changes on Feb. 28, saying, “We’ve made significant improvements to address concerns about the difficulty of purchasing tickets.”

“We hope as many people as possible will see that it’s really not that complicated,” he said.

Related News