In response to the Exposition Association, which is the organizer of the Exposition, forecasting that the construction cost of the venue for the Osaka-Kansai Expo would be about 450 billion yen more than before, Koike, secretary general of the Communist Party, argued that the Expo should be canceled, saying that the cost could increase further.
The construction cost of the venue for the Osaka-Kansai Expo to be held next year was previously expected to be 1850 billion yen, but against the backdrop of soaring material prices and labor costs, the Exposition Association, which is the main organizer, has compiled a forecast that it will be about 450 billion yen, about 2300 billion yen more.
Koike, secretary general of the Communist Party, pointed out at a press conference, "This is an expansion reminiscent of the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, and I think this will not be enough, and in addition to the cost of building the venue, the cost of developing various infrastructure, such as subways and roads, will also increase."
He then stated, "The Restoration Association, which is calling itself a 'self-cutting reform,' may be promoting large-scale development at the expense of the citizens of Osaka Prefecture and citizens, and if we do not stop the project now, the public will be forced to bear an additional burden, and the Osaka-Kansai Expo should be canceled."