Arab News Japan

TOKYO: The Osaka-Kansai Expo to be held in Japan next year has experienced many difficulties as the organizers try to meet deadlines to ensure it opens on time. Now it is having to combat leaking methane gas and opposition by teachers.

On May 30, the organizers admitted that methane gas caused an explosion and fire in March in Zones 2 and 3 of the Pavilion area at the center of the Osaka-Kansai Expo.

The Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition has repeatedly insisted that “no gas has been detected in the area and the possibility of a gas release is extremely low.”

Japan Communist Party newspaper Akahata says that dredged sludge, which produces gases, has been buried and methane has been detected in a subway line currently under construction that goes to the artificial island of Yumeshima, the Expo venue. The Association has now admitted those reports are true.

The concentration of methane gas identified in the measurements taken from January to March was higher than the lower explosive limit of methane, meaning there is a risk of explosions.

On March 28, an explosion caused by methane from buried waste occurred in Zone 1 of the Pavilion area. According to the accident report from the local fire department, the area damaged by the “explosion and fire” was approximately 100 square meters, extending from the basement to the 1st floor ceiling.

To add to Expo’s problems, the All-Japan Teachers, and Staff Union (Zenkyo) has issued a statement calling for the cancelation of the project to invite schoolchildren to the Expo 2025 and for the cancelation of the Expo itself.

The statement points out that there are reports the soil at the Expo site is contaminated and also referred to the methane explosion in March.

It concludes that under the threat of a recurrence, safe field trips will not be possible.