[Title] Press Conference by Prime Minister ISHIBA Shigeru regarding His Visit to the Expo 2025, Osaka, Kansai, Japan and Other Matters

(On the thoughts Prime Minister Ishiba had when he visited the Japan and USA Pavilions a short while ago to see the “Moon Rock” and “Mars Rock”; on the details of his discussion with Osaka Governor Yoshimura during their meeting; on whether he believes the Osaka-Kansai Expo can reach its final sales target of 23 million tickets, given the attendance already surpassing 20 million with less than a month remaining; and on what actions he plans to take as Prime Minister to help achieve that goal)

Five months have passed since the opening of the Expo, which will close in less than a month. I was able to adjust my schedule to attend the Global Startup EXPO 2025 today, which allowed me to visit a fully-open Expo probably for the first time. I was deeply moved to see the “Moon Rock” again. I first saw it in 1970 when I was a second-year junior high school student in Tottori. I remember waiting in line for three hours just to see it for three minutes or so, even though I don’t know the exact time as I didn’t have a stopwatch. As for the “Mars Rock,” my thought was, “Oh, so this is the Mars Rock!” There is a great significance in seeing these rocks firsthand, even though they don’t have a loud presence. I still remember the experience from 55 years ago, and I hope many people at the Expo will have a similar, lasting impression.

Regarding the Global Startup EXPO 2025, so many people were present. It made me realize just how many people are involved in start-ups, and many investors came to see what kind of start-ups were there. I believe it was a very meaningful event, providing mutual inspiration for both sides.

I have worked with Governor Yoshimura on various matters since well before the Expo opened. Before its opening, there were many negative comments, such as “Not that many people will visit,” and “Who will be responsible if there is a budget deficit?” But once it began, everyone involved came together with a shared sense of enthusiasm, including the Osaka Prefectural and Municipal Governments, ordinary residents and business organizations like the Kankeiren (Kansai Economic Federation) and the Keidanren (Japan Business Federation). In my meeting with Governor Yoshimura, we shared the view that this Expo, though still ongoing, “may carve out a new path for Japan.” While there are many people who are quick to criticize the Expo by taking advantage of any occasion, which can result in division and confrontation, we agreed to fend off such negative moves in a concerted effort so that the event will come to an end on October 13 without incident and with many visitors feeling happy.

The number of visitors has been steadily increasing, thanks to the efforts of many people involved, but whether we will reach our final sales target of 23 million tickets is still uncertain. We are making a concerted effort toward that target, and we are encouraged by the fact that 80% of those who have visited have said they were glad they came. We hope that the target will be achieved by inviting many people, including first-time visitors and repeaters. We also hope that the Expo will close without incident and with many people feeling satisfied. We want the Expo to be combined with regional revitalization, encouraging visitors to extend their trips from Osaka to other parts of Japan. I express my heartfelt gratitude to the staff of the Expo Association and the Japan Pavilion, as well as to everyone who has worked so hard and supported us in this summer heat. That is all.