Shigeru Ishiba Envisions “Enjoyable Japan” at Osaka Expo

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba aims to present an “enjoyable Japan” at the World Exposition in Osaka, set to open on April 13. However, recent polls show that many Japanese citizens are not as excited about the event.

While most attendees at the Expo, which runs until October 13, are expected to be domestic visitors, a recent Kyodo News poll revealed that nearly 75 percent of Japanese respondents have little to no interest in the event.

At a press conference, Ishiba, 68, emphasized his desire for people of all ages, both in Japan and abroad, to visit the expo. He hopes that attendees will discover the essence of an “enjoyable Japan.” He reflected on his own childhood experience visiting the 1970 Osaka Expo, where he marveled at the Moon rock from the Apollo 12 mission.

The 1970 Osaka Expo symbolized Japan’s economic rise, attracting over 64 million visitors, mostly from Japan. At that time, Japan’s economy was the second-largest in the world, trailing only the United States. Fast forward to today, and Japan ranks fourth, behind China and Germany.

Expo organizers set an ambitious target of 23 million ticket sales, including 14 million presales. Yet, as of late March, only 8.5 million tickets had been sold. More than 160 countries and international organizations plan to showcase their exhibitions at the event.

Ishiba has described his vision of an “enjoyable Japan” as a place where people feel secure, can take on challenges, and are optimistic about the future. He has emphasized the importance of creating a country where citizens believe that “tomorrow will be brighter than today.”

However, a recent Nippon Foundation survey paints a different picture. Among young people aged 17 to 19 in Japan, just 15 percent expressed hope for their country’s future, the lowest among six countries surveyed, including the UK, China, South Korea, India, and the United States. This suggests that many Japanese citizens are less optimistic about the nation’s trajectory.

In conclusion, while Ishiba’s vision for an “enjoyable Japan” is ambitious, the public’s lukewarm response to the upcoming Expo highlights a disconnect between government aspirations and public sentiment.