Osaka-Kansai Expo 2025 hit by protests on opening day

A protest demonstration was held on the opening day of the highly anticipated Osaka-Kansai Expo, drawing attention to concerns surrounding the event.

Akiko Oishi, a member of the House of Representatives and co-chair of the Reiwa Shinsengumi political party, spearheaded the demonstration.

The protest had been actively recruiting participants through the social media platform, X (formerly Twitter) and the event was also live-streamed on YouTube, attracting approximately 2,000 concurrent viewers.

Despite heavy rainfall that led to the cancellation of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force’s “Blue Impulse” aerial display, demonstrators proceeded with their protest, chanting slogans such as “We don’t want the Expo” and “No methane gas”.

Part of the reason for holding the demonstration was concerns regarding the recent detection of methane gas at the Expo venue, which was seen by the protestors as being the source for a potential gas explosion.

The protest was also intended to question the significant amount of public funds allocated to the event and whether this money would have benefited Japanese people if it had been put towards other uses, such as welfare.

Prior to the demonstration, a rally was held where Oishi addressed the crowd, emphasizing the issues at hand.

“We’ve been told not to hold a demonstration on the day of the Expo, but of course we’re going to do it,” she declared, raising concerns about the use of public funds to hold the Expo as well as the methane gas issue.

Oishi highlighted other reasons for the protest included school children being forced to visit the Expo as part of school trips and Israel’s invitation to participate in the event.

The protest had faced controversy even before its commencement, as the initially designated meeting point was “next to the Seven-Eleven Osaka Yumeshima store”.

This choice of meeting place drew criticism online as netizens questioned whether permission had been obtained from the convenience store and expressed concerns about potential disruption to business operations.

In response to inquiries from the Japanese press Seven & i Holdings clarified:

“We have not heard anything about the Osaka Yumeshima store being designated as a meeting place for demonstrations. In addition, the store is not involved in the group or rally you mentioned. In addition, we do not allow Seven-Eleven stores, including the store, or parking lots to be used for rallies or other events”.

Subsequently, on April 5th, Oishi clarified on her X account that the convenience store was not affiliated with the rally and assuring the public that necessary coordination for the protest was taking place with both the Port and Harbor Bureau and the Osaka Prefectural Police.

On the Expo’s opening day, over 140,000 visitors were expected to attend, with large crowds gathering at the East Gate, the closest entrance to Osaka Metro Yumeshima Station.

While visitors were waiting to enter the Expo, the demonstration proceeded along roads adjacent to the Expo site.

Oishi led the march as participants chanted slogans such as “Stop the Expo and use the money for welfare”, “Give us our money back” and “Methane gas will explode, it’s extremely dangerous!”

The protest received supportive comments from viewers on their YouTube live stream, praising the demonstrators and their cause but reactions on X were more mixed.

Some criticized the demonstration’s location, questioning its effectiveness in reaching a large audience.

“The Reiwa-tai Expo demonstration is meaningless if they do it in a place where there are no people. It’s a waste of effort, isn’t it?”, one user commented.

Another questioned the appropriateness of a political party receiving substantial public subsidies organizing such a protest.

“Should the co-chair of a political party that receives 900 million yen in political party subsidies be running an ‘anti-Expo demonstration’?” they asked.

The demonstration highlighted an on-going debate surrounding the Osaka-Kansai Expo, where some in Japan have concerns about environmental impact of the event and whether the public resources used to hold it could have been better used elsewhere.

Sources: J-Cast News

Images: © Akiko Oishi, Minako Saigo, Asahi Shimbun