Arab News Japan

OSAKA: The Osaka-Kansai Expo, now in its tenth day, is a hot spot for visitors.

On Wednesday, the Osaka-Kansai Expo Association welcomed its millionth visitor, which was becoming crowded even on weekdays.

However, reports suggest that not everything is running as smoothly as expected, with trains facing delays and four pavilions yet to open.

The Association said it is actively addressing the issues and is committed to opening the pavilions of Nepal, India, Vietnam, and Brunei soon.

Visitors observed that the sign outside India’s pavilion displays the Hindi name “Bharat”, which translates to Katakana in Japanese. However, the automatic doors at the entrance read “India Pavilion Bharat.” The pavilion’s status is nearing completion.

The Nepalese Pavilion has not yet opened due to financial issues. The construction company involved has not received payment for some of the construction costs, resulting in a complete halt.

On April 23, the Expo Association confirmed that construction had stopped; however, the Nepalese team expressed its intention to continue exhibiting.

On Tuesday, the Osaka Metro Chuo Line was halted due to a train malfunction, leaving a large number of passengers stranded at Yumeshima Station, the closest station to the Expo site and a key entry point for visitors.

Osaka Metro management expressed sincere regret for the inconvenience caused to the passengers and reassured them that measures were being taken to prevent such incidents in the future.