On the eve of the Osaka Expo, a series of problems such as erroneous publication in the official guidebook Secretary-General Ishige is bullish
On Friday, March 28, 2025, the Expo Association apologized on its official website for errors in the official guidebook of the Osaka Expo. Prior to this, on the 27th, Osaka Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura apologized at a regular press conference of the prefecture. (Photo: Hiroyuki Ishige, 74 years old, Secretary-General of the World Expo Association)
The illustration in question appeared on pages 300 to 301 of the Osaka Expo Official Guidebook (Japanese and English versions). A version of the image illustration of the futuristic city drawn by picture book author Kunihiko Aoyama before it was completed was posted. "I feel like my efforts have been trampled on," he said.
In the future, in addition to inserting a correction table with the illustrations of the completed version, the e-book will be corrected and replaced when reprinted. The cause is said to be a lack of confirmation in the production process.
The official guidebook production work was selected by JTB Publishing in an open call for proposals in August 2024. One company applied, and its past performance was evaluated. The terms of the contract are that the difference between the profits from bookstore sales and expenses is the commission fee, and there is a possibility that the company will lose money depending on the sales situation.
In the run-up to the opening of the Expo, there is constant uncertainty about the on-site preparations for the opening of the Expo, such as sluggish advance ticket sales, delays in the construction of multiple pavilions, and problems with the handling of personal information when purchasing tickets.
Regarding the mispublication of the guidebook, Osaka Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura, who serves as a director of the World Expo Association, apologized at a press conference. On the other hand, the association's front-line leader, Secretary-General Hiroyuki Ishige (former Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry), has not commented directly on the matter.
At a press conference in February, Mr. Ishige explained that advance ticket sales were only 60% of the target, and that he had set a high target, and expressed the view that there would be no problem even if it was not achieved.
Mr. Ishige was appointed Secretary-General in May 2019. Since July 2021 published by the World Expo Association Officer Remuneration Regulations According to the report, regardless of the results of advance ticket sales or the mispublication of guidebooks, he receives a monthly reward of 2 million yen.
