The advance reservation system for admission to the World Exposition in Osaka starting in April was one of the key issues raised at a meeting of participating countries and companies held in western Japan, officials said Thursday.
The two-day meeting in Himeji, Hyogo Prefecture came as advance ticket sales remained slower than organizers expected at 7.5 million tickets as of early January, short of their target of 14 million.
The Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition expects 28.2 million visitors during the event from April 13 to Oct. 13.
Some of the participants raised questions about whether the requirement to reserve an admission ticket, then book the date and time of a visit and finally enter lotteries to see particular pavilions and special events makes the process too complex.
An official of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations said, "The complexity (of the reservation system) could impact the number of visitors," but the 10-nation group expects the Japanese organizers to "solve the issue."
Sources in the expo organizing group have said weaker sales are partly attributable to participants finding themselves unable to provide detailed information to the public on their planned exhibits due to construction delays. Some companies taking part, meanwhile, have not finalized their exhibit plans.
"There are still many countries that have not finished the interior and exhibition areas. We are doing our best to coordinate so that those countries can finish (their preparation) in time for the start of the expo on April 13," said Deputy Secretary General Manatsu Ichinoki.
The organizers told the meeting participants that the ticket reservation system is aimed at minimizing queues at the venue and the expo association will further strengthen public relations, he added.
Representatives from more than 160 countries and institutions gathered in Himeji from Wednesday to discuss operational issues including logistics, risk management, public relations and cybersecurity.
© KYODO
14 Comments
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P_C
Wonder how much is due to language barrier(s). Anyway, check out the Osaka Expo website. The Nordic Pavilion is cool. JT readers planning to attend?
kurisupisu
The modern way is to let your customers do the work themselves. Airlines are increasingly using this model which is designed to reduce the number of check-in staff leading to higher profits.Even business class passengers are asked if they have ‘checked-in’ nowadays.
It’s laughable that the Expo bureaucrats could make the ticket process for an entry ticket more difficult than an airline flight but that’s Japan when simple isn’t a consideration.
Well, on my visit, I will just turn up and pay cash and get a ticket-simple!
Tokyo Guy
My general experience with booking things online in Japan comes down to "be awake and at your computer several hours before the sales start, avail yourself of a watch from NASA which is accurate to less than the nanosecond, and when it hits the opening time slam the "buy" button as fast as possible. Any other approach will result in everything being sold out in three seconds".
garymalmgren
to reserve an admission ticket, then book the date and time of a visit and finally enter lotteries to see particular pavilions and special events makes the process too complex.
Then enter enter credit card , personal details and PAY
MarkX
They haven't sold enough tickets but there is a lottery to get into some pavilions? Why don't they just sell different types of tickets. Access to all things or just into the site. They could make a lot more money and people would pay more to full access.
SoylentGreen
The key issue is that no one is in the least bit interested in this. Who wants to pay to go look at some promotional pavilions? It's a very outdated thing.
kurisupisu
@MarkX
When you live in Japan a long time then there are many instances where ‘commonsense’ is not applied.
This is just one of those.
Japantime
Like everyone else on here, I can’t wait for the opening ceremony. This will be the biggest event this year and we are lucky to be able to go, as it is in Japan for us. All of my friends living in other countries are so jealous.
divinda
Well said @kurisupisu
shogun36
no way they've sold that many.
are people really going to this thing?
David Brent
Not really surprising. The whole purpose of the EXPO is to line the pockets of a few businessmen and politicians.
dan
Total waste of time and money !!!
bogva
The ticketing system in Japan in general is monopolized and complicated. Look at booking a concert seat. In most countries you can chose your seat number in addition to the type of ticket. In Japan you buy S-seat and you find yourself on third balcony 5 rows below the ceiling.
Setting the date and the exact venues you want to visit at an Expo is too precise. Are they afraid of overcrowding at a certain pavilions? It should be much more lax.
Ricky Kaminski13
Oh Japan. You really can’t help yourselves can you? Shooting yourselves in the foot with every kaigi. You want to make the process as simple and as easy as possible, NOT the opposite, especially considering how lackluster the interest was in getting the whole thing up and running in the first place.
This is the chance to showcase progress and potential, not over complicated processes and risk averse expediency! Sort yourselves out , please! Most people will take one look at something and if it’s too hard, it’ll just be like, ‘ yeah, naaaa..’