Osaka Expo Starts Accepting Businesses to Operate Opening Ceremony - Measures to Suppress Hollowing Out Are Limited, Dentsu Lifts Bidding Participation Ban in February
On April 19, 2024, the Association for the 2025 World Exposition of Japan (World Expo Association) began accepting applications for businesses in charge of the opening ceremony and related event business of the Osaka Expo. The maximum budget for this project is 965,948,500 yen.

(Postscript) [Breaking News] Dated May 31, 2024: Dentsu Selected as the Operator of the Osaka Expo Opening Ceremony ( ※ ) |
The operators in charge of the opening ceremony of the Osaka Expo, which will open on April 13, 2025, and related events scheduled for the first eight days after the opening of the event, will be responsible for the specific production, operation, and venue design based on the basic plan and concept content formulated by the Expo Association and the event planning producer.
The specifications, which describe the details of the work, are not disclosed and are distributed to businesses that have submitted a confidentiality pledge, and applicants create a project proposal with reference to the specifications.
The selection process for the operators who will be responsible for the opening ceremony and related events will close on May 16, the selection will be made on May 23, and the operators will be selected in late May, which will be announced on the official website of the Osaka Expo.
The score of the hollowing suppression measure is about 4.3 points out of 100 (estimated by the editorial department)
The maximum budget for the project is 965,948,500 yen. In the examination items and scores for the proposals presented by the Expo Association, the rationale and appropriateness of the application amount and ingenuity to control expenses (such as the avoidance of multiple subcontracting) are cited. However, these items are about 4.3 points out of 100 in total*, and are not emphasized in the judging.
* Points related to the application amount and cost control are included in the screening item called "Project content (30 points)". Since the content of this project is subdivided into seven items, we took that into account and calculated the distribution of points for the relevant items (30 points ÷ 7 = 4.3 points). |
At the time, the daily allowance for the operation of the Tokyo Olympics was 350,000 yen thing The supply chain, which started with the main contracting advertising company, expanded to the fifth and sixth stages, and a budget of 200,000 yen per day was allocated for each temporary staff member who made tea thing was reported.
There are only a limited number of businesses that can organize the opening ceremony
Naturally, there are only a limited number of companies in the advertising and event industry that can manage the opening ceremony of the Osaka Expo. It is a well-known fact in the industry that there are only two companies that can fulfill this role: Dentsu, the favorite, the opponent, and Hakuhodo.


The Opening Ceremony requires total coordination to achieve 100% flawless on-site operations within the allotted time. As a national event with a large budget, the organizers, organizers, and organizers have a grave responsibility to the people of Japan that cannot afford to fail.
Dentsu Hakuhodo Lifting the ban on participation in bidding
At the Tokyo Olympics Test Event Allegations of collusion As a result, Dentsu, which had been banned from participating in bidding by Osaka Prefecture and the Expo Association, has been allowed to participate in bidding again since February 10 this year, and Hakuhodo has been allowed to participate in bidding again since March 1. With the lifting of the ban on participation in bidding, both companies are now able to undertake large-scale projects for the Osaka Expo.
During the suspension period, Dentsu's three group companies were entrusted with the work of the Expo Association, Hakuhodo itself was entrusted with the work of Osaka Prefecture City, and one group company was entrusted with the work of the Expo Association.
When asked by Good Travel News Agency about their intention to participate in the open call for services for the opening ceremony of the Osaka Expo, both companies replied that they would like to refrain from answering.
Coordination with consortiums and competitors
Participation in the open call is not limited to the Dentsu and Hakuhodo groups, but can also be jointly applied with external companies such as other advertising companies, event companies, and entertainment companies. In fact, in the projects of the World Expo Association, there have been many applications and commissions by consortiums.
In that case, attention will be paid not only to the content of discussions with partner partners, but also to whether or not there are discussions between competing companies. The allegations of bid-rigging at the Tokyo Olympics are considered to be a problem caused by the impatience and excessive coordination of the parties involved, and the Osaka Expo requires special attention to these tasks.
The centerpiece of the Expo will be from a pavilion to a wide variety of events
The reputation of the company's own overseas pavilions, which were initially regarded as the "flower of the World Expo," and the large roof (ring), which was promoted as a new symbol, has deteriorated.
In this situation, a spokesperson for the World Expo Association said, "Starting with the opening ceremony, although it is still not well known, music and festivals are held almost every day in 11 places in the venue. event will be the centerpiece of the Osaka Expo," he explained to Good Travel News News.