OSAKA: Visiting Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) Secretary-General Dimitri Kerkentzes on Wednesday ruled out the option of delaying the 2025 World Exposition in the western city of Osaka.

Regarding whether the event can be postponed, Kerkentzes said, “I don’t think this is an option.”

“Everyone is still on time and on track,” he told a news conference after a two-day meeting of the Osaka Expo organizers and participants in Osaka. He expressed “full confidence” that the event can be held as scheduled.

Regarding delays in the construction of pavilions for foreign countries, he said that “we’re seeing a lot of contracts signed.”

At the news conference, Hiroyuki Ishige, secretary-general of the Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition, said that the association has received over 600 requests for consultations on pavilion construction and other issues.

“We’ll continue making preparations so that their exhibition will be successful,” Ishige added.

The meeting from Tuesday brought together officials from 149 of the economies planning to participate in the Osaka Expo. The association corrected the number from the initially announced 158 economies.

JIJI Press