Osaka Expo kicks off pavilion reservation lottery amid sales concerns

The Osaka Expo's lottery for pavilion reservations officially opened Monday, marking three months until the event's April 13 start. Winning the lottery guarantees entry to popular pavilions. The Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition is promoting this lottery to help boost ticket sales, which have struggled to gain momentum. However, as of Monday, only about 20% of the independently constructed international pavilions, dubbed the "crown jewels" of the expo, were open for reservations. The lottery covers 36 pavilions, including key attractions such as the Japan Pavilion, the Osaka Healthcare Pavilion and Signature Pavilions curated by eight prominent figures. Reservations also opened for 11 events, including a special live performance by singer Ado on the opening day. Progress on international pavilions, however, remains slow. Of the “Type A” pavilions independently constructed by 47 participating countries, 42 are planned for operation, with five Nordic countries collaborating on one pavilion. Currently, only nine, including those from Canada and Australia, are accepting reservations, reflecting preparation delays. Visitors must purchase tickets before applying for reservations via a dedicated website. Applications are accepted on three occasions before the admission date. The first two rounds use a lottery system, allowing up to five choices per round. The initial round has begun three months before the admission date, with results announced two months in advance. Visitors able to attend on the opening day will be notified by Feb. 13. The second round starts one month before the visit date, with results provided seven days prior. A final round, conducted on a first-come, first-served basis, opens three days to one day before the visit date for any remaining slots. Additionally, one extra reservation slot will be available on the day of entry. Some pavilions will also offer first-come, first-served access without prior reservations. The number of advance tickets sold has remained sluggish. As of Wednesday, advance ticket sales had reached just over half of the target, with around 7.5 million tickets sold. Stakeholders have expressed concerns about meeting the 15 million ticket goal. “There’s a significant chance the number of reservation-eligible pavilions will increase as we approach the two-month lottery deadline,” a senior association official said. “Our aim is to capture the momentum of people feeling that they need to make a reservation, and leverage it for promotional efforts,” they added. Translated by The Japan Times