Japan Press Weekly

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2024 January 10 - 16 [SOCIAL ISSUES]

JCP Osaka demands cancellation of Osaka Expo to focus on post-disaster recovery

The Japanese Communist Party Osaka Prefectural Committee on January 11 issued a statement demanding that the 2025 Osaka Kansai Expo be called off in order to focus on a recovery from the major earthquake that devastated the Noto Peninsula on New Year’s Day.

The statement stresses that the national and municipal governments should do everything they can to help the affected residents and in the recovery of the areas from the disaster.

The statement points out that a large amount of construction materials, human resources, heavy machinery, and people’s tax money will be injected into the Expo slated for April 2025 in Osaka, and that this will negatively impact post-disaster rehabilitation efforts.

Baba Yukinobu who heads the “Nippon Ishin no Kai”, Osaka’s ruling party, on January 5 said that the Expo will be an event to give the affected areas hopes and dreams and will encourage the victims to move ahead toward a bright future.

Regarding this remark, noting that the Expo upholds the theme “designing future society for our lives” with subthemes “saving lives, empowering lives, and connecting lives”, the statement criticizes Baba for valuing the Expo more than lives of the affected areas.

Past related article:
> Total costs pertaining to Osaka Expo may rise further [December 21, 2023]