TOKYO, April 7 (Xinhua) -- Anxiety looms over the forthcoming 2025 World Exposition in Japan's Osaka, as a media poll showed on Sunday that 82 percent of entities involved were worried about tepid enthusiasm from the public just a year shy of the event's inauguration.
The survey conducted by Kyodo News was responded to by 45 companies, sponsors, and organizations linked with the event, many expressing their concerns regarding public interest and the financial outlay.
Less than 50 percent felt Japan's planned spending of 235 billion yen (1.55 billion U.S. dollars) for constructing the expo venue to be "reasonable," the survey showed.
Scheduled to run from April 13 to Oct. 13 next year on Yumeshima, an artificial island in Osaka Bay, the expo has been marred by criticisms surrounding its burgeoning costs and sluggish pace of pavilion construction by foreign participants.
Among the concerns highlighted, a significant 82 percent cited winning domestic support as the top challenge. Delays in the construction of overseas pavilions and the need for international promotion were also flagged, with 38 percent and 31 percent of respondents citing these respectively.
With an anticipated attendance of 28.2 million people, including 3.5 million from overseas, the expo aims to showcase Japan's prowess on the global stage. However, uncertainties linger, especially concerning the financial burden and the ability to attract a substantial audience.
The survey, conducted between late February and April, received responses from major companies including ANA Holdings Inc., Kansai Electric Power Co., West Japan Railway Co., and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp. ■
