August 31, 2023

The Japanese Communist Party Osaka Prefectural Committee on August 30 held a press conference in Osaka City and issued a statement demanding that the 2025 World Exposition be cancelled on the grounds that the ballooning price tag of the event will impose a heavier than acceptable burden on the general public.

The JCP in its statement noted that the Japan Association for the 2025 World Expo, with the aim of dealing with delays in preparations such as the construction of foreign pavilions, reportedly requested the central government to exempt construction workers from the application of an overtime cap rule starting in 2024. The JCP stressed that it is unacceptable for the Expo organizer to endanger construction workers’ lives and safety in order to make up for the delay, which goes against one of the Expo’s themes, “Saving Lives.”

The JCP pointed out that with construction costs ballooning due to a surge in material prices and labor shortages, the forcible opening of the 2025 World Expo will impose a further financial burden on the general public already struggling with the rising cost of living. Furthermore, referring to the sinking of land, soil contamination, and limited emergency evacuation routes, the JCP claimed that the holding of the Expo on Yumeshima, an artificial island located in Osaka Bay, is too risky.

The JCP pointed out that together with the local business community, the Osaka Prefectural and city governments, both of which are ruled by the “Ishin” party, have proclaimed that to host the World Expo in Osaka will be a catalyst for revitalizing local economies. However, the JCP stated, the need is for the prefectural and city governments to spend more to support small- and mid-sized enterprises and take measures to increase residents’ earnings, not to promote a large-scale development and excessive spending for a one-time event.

Past related article:
> Union condemns Osaka Expo organizer’s demand for overtime cap exemption for Expo construction workers [August 2 & 3, 2023]