Nipponica

The Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition on Aug. 11 announced that a total of 18,095,703 tickets to the Osaka Expo had been sold as of Aug. 8, surpassing the approximately 18 million tickets set as a guideline for the break-even point for operating expenses.

However, the association has not disclosed the final outlook for profitability of the Expo, which will continue until Oct. 13, as unforeseen expenses could arise due to disasters or other factors.

Even if it doesn’t break even in the end with all expenses, it is a small miracle that it might be able to. World Expos are not money makers these days.

A military factory that was said to be the largest in the Orient was once in operation at a site now part of Osaka Castle Park at the center of the city of Osaka, and a researcher is calling for the remaining buildings to be preserved as a "negative legacy."

Osaka Army Arsenal, which manufactured artillery for the now-defunct Imperial Japanese Army, employed up to around 66,000 people, including mobilized students, across its approximately 6-million-square-meter site.

It is very easy to be critical of Japan when talking about smoothing over one's own history. Hopefully, those in charge do preserve a monument to the senseless destruction of humanity as an example to the future about the values of today.

Support is growing within the Japan Innovation Party for the prospect of forming a coalition with the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito.

Support for joining the coalition is largely emerging from Osaka, the party’s home turf. JIP leader Hirofumi Yoshimura, who is also the governor of Osaka Prefecture, said Tuesday: “It’s important to establish a secondary capital, given the need to correct the ‘one-city dominance’ of Tokyo and handle national crisis management and economic growth.”

Such an arrangement with the LDP and Komeito could have a short term gain and allow the JIP to move closer to their Osaka Domination goal. But, looking longer term, if the LDP slide continues, they will be dragged down with them.

Also Wakkanai is really feeling left out of this second capital discussion.

"The most attractive part is the kindness of Japanese people," Galata said, adding he has been particularly impressed by the well-maintained roads, packaging for onigiri rice balls sold at convenience stores, and how he was served at restaurants.

These kinds of puff pieces are typical, but I am fascinated that onigiri packaging is in the top three for this guy's Japan loves. Too much tuna mayo can rot the brain.