Nipponica

According to a Mitsubishi Research Institute survey, 27% of respondents expressed an interest in visiting the Expo as of April this year, almost unchanged from the previous survey conducted in October 2023 and four points lower than in October 2022. The number of pre-ordered tickets sold was approximately 2.8 million as of June 19, or only 20% of the target.

This is unfortunate but not unexpected. As a bit of a World Expo nerd, I am really excited to visit simply because my mid-20th century utopian ideals still haven't been totally purged from my psyche. Events like the 1964 World Expo and places that ape the Expo ethos like 1980s EPCOT Center had an optimistic, global view of the future which is sadly rare nowadays. Expos have always been driven by a commercial drive for pavilion sponsors and business in the host city, but it could be much more than that. Hoping that Osaka can provide a unique experience that will drive people to visit.