March 9, 2022

When the national government and others estimated the cost of constructing the venue in 2017, it was estimated to be about 125 billion yen, but in December 2020, it was revealed that the cost would increase by up to 60 billion yen to 185 billion yen.

On the 2nd, it was revealed that the city had estimated that up to 78.8 billion yen would be required for the development of the former site of the Expo, Yumeshima (Konohana Ward, Osaka City), an artificial island in Osaka Bay that will be the venue for the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo. Yumeshima is a candidate site for an integrated resort (IR) including a casino that Osaka Prefecture and City are aiming to attract. It has already been revealed that measures against liquefaction and soil contamination on the IR site will cost about 79 billion yen, and the total development costs will balloon to 157.8 billion yen.

The costs of developing the former site of the Expo venue for the second and third phases were revealed this time, and assuming the development of facilities similar to those for the IR, it is said that up to 78.8 billion yen will be required for measures against soil contamination and liquefaction.

[Casino] It was revealed on the 2nd that the city had estimated that the maximum cost of development of the Expo site would be 100 million yen for Yumeshima (Konohana Ward, Osaka City), an artificial island in Osaka Bay that will be the venue for the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo. Yumeshima is a candidate site for an integrated resort (IR) including a casino that Osaka Prefecture and City are aiming to attract. It has already been revealed that 100 million yen will be needed to prevent liquefaction and soil contamination on the IR site, and the overall development costs will increase by 100 million yen. What was revealed this time was the development costs for the Expo site in the 2nd and 3rd phases, and assuming the development of facilities similar to those for the IR, it is said that up to 78.8 billion yen will be needed to prevent soil contamination and liquefaction.

[Metro]

It was revealed on January 12, 2022 that the development project cost for the extension of the Osaka Metro Chuo Line and the new station will be about 38 billion yen, an increase of 12.9 billion yen from the initial approximately 25 billion yen.

5.6 billion yen will be needed to remove obstacles and to prevent explosions caused by methane gas contained in the soil of Yumeshima.

Another 4 billion yen is expected to be spent on soft ground measures.

In addition to this, 3.3 billion yen will be needed to develop the area around the new station.

Problems such as liquefaction and soil contamination have come to light one after another regarding the development of Yumeshima, an artificial island in Konohana Ward, Osaka City, which will be the venue for the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo. Over the past year, the increase in construction costs has exceeded at least 230 billion yen, exposing the poor foresight of Osaka Prefecture and Osaka City. There are also criticisms that the land development for the integrated resort (IR) including casinos is being given "special treatment."