Key preparations for the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo are on thin ice because a labor shortage and soaring prices of building materials are causing delays in the construction of national pavilions.
With participating countries and regions struggling to contract builders, among other issues, the government and the event organizer, the Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition, are scrambling to find ways to get preparations back on track. However, it remains to be seen whether the situation can be resolved in time.
The association's secretary general, Hiroyuki Ishige, indicated Thursday that the organizers are determined to assist expo participants who are grappling with delays. "We'll provide support across the board to ensure everything is ready in time for the expo," Ishige said at a press conference.
