A meeting was held attended by representatives from the countries and regions participating in the Osaka-Kansai Expo next year, and the Expo Association, which is the organizer of the event, explained the status of the development of the venue. While the preparations for the overseas pavilion have been delayed, the Exposition Association hopes to accelerate the preparations by explaining the support measures.
So far, more than 150 countries and regions and eight international organizations have announced their participation in the Osaka-Kansai Expo, and a two-day conference attended by representatives from the national and regional governments is being held in Osaka from the 8th.
In his opening remarks, Mr. Kerkenzes, Secretary General of the International Bureau of the Exposition, said, "The success of the Expo depends on the active and sustained involvement of each country.
At the meeting,
the Exposition Association will explain the status of the venue and how to proceed with the interior work, as
well as provide information on visas and accommodation for staff who will be in charge of preparation and operation.
At the Osaka-Kansai Expo, delays in preparations have surfaced, as less than half of the overseas pavilions were able to contract with construction companies under the "Type A" scheme, in which each country builds its own pavilions.
In addition to explaining the support measures of the Japan side, the Exposition Association intends to accelerate preparations by setting up individual consultations for countries that have not yet decided on a construction company.
The voices of the participating countries are:
The head of Germany, which plans to build a Type A pavilion among the countries and regions that participated in the conference, said, "We are planning a pavilion with the theme of a recycling-oriented society for the future. I look forward to fruitful discussions with Japan and other participating countries at this conference."
On the other hand, the deputy representative of the Polish government, who is also planning to build a Type A pavilion, said, "It would be nice if we could proceed with the Type A pavilion, but it is very difficult to find a construction company, and I am very worried about whether it will be completed in time."
As for the so-called "Type X" method, in which the Exposition Association builds prefabricated buildings on behalf of participating countries, he said: "I think it's a good idea, but it's difficult to change because we're already in the process of bidding for the construction work, so I would have liked to see it proposed a little earlier. I would like to consult with the Japan side."
He also said, "I've heard about Mexico's withdrawal, but it's a shame because Mexico has always put up very fine pavilions, and I want to do my best not to be like that."