Press Conference by Minister Saito (Excerpt)

*Note: This is a provisional translation for reference purposes only.

11:41 to 11:47
Tuesday, September 17, 2024
Press Conference Room, METI Main Building

Opening Remarks

Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai

Good morning. At the beginning, I would like to mention one point.

We have less than seven months to go before the opening of the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai. Next month, it will become possible to make reservations for pavilions and events. At a meeting of relevant persons held last week at the Prime Minister’s Office, the current status of the various challenges in the runup to the opening was confirmed. Going forward, it is important to give people across the country concrete images of how and what they can expect to enjoy at the Expo. Over the coming two weeks or so, we will reveal a series of many types of attractions to be seen at the Expo.

For example, visitors can admire many pavilions from countries around the world with ingenious designs to enjoy as architectural objects as well as enjoying delightful national day parades, and various delicious culinary cultures of regions worldwide will be available at restaurants attached to the pavilions. In the evening hours, shows featuring fireworks, drones, and fountains will be held every day. I have heard that live performances of noted artists are scheduled to be gradually announced from now on.

At the pavilions on the site, amazing experiences not available elsewhere will be open to viewing. While I have already mentioned a human-like android to be shown at the theme hall hosted by Professor Ishiguro of Osaka University as an example of a “vision of a future one step ahead,” there will be numerous other private-sector pavilions and exhibits that provide an experience to “showcase a future society.”

In addition, at the forthcoming expo, a Martian rock that is among the world’s largest of its kind is scheduled to be exhibited. It is a meteorite from Mars that was collected by the Japanese Antarctica wintering team near the Showa Station. The rock has high academic value as a clue about the origin of life, so it will be an exhibit closely related to “Our Lives,” the theme of the expo. This will be emblematic of the direction of the challenge taken on by mankind to travel to Mars via the Moon. More attractive content of the expo like this is scheduled to be announced one after another from now on.

Let me mention one important special benefit related to admission tickets.

At present, a special ticket called The Super Early Bird One-day Ticket (Cho Hayawari Ichinichi Ken) is being sold for a limited period until October 6. Now it can be purchased at 6,000 yen, 20% cheaper than a regular daily ticket for adults, priced at 7,500 yen. As a special benefit, this ticket grants the right to participate early in lotteries for attendance reservation for pavilions and events.

At the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, reservations to attend pavilions and events must be made in advance in principle. In order to make sure you can enjoy the attractive content, I recommend that you consider purchasing tickets early and using the special benefit of The Super Early Bird One-day Ticket.

As for the details, the administrative staff will give you a briefing later.

I will end my remarks here.

Question-and-Answer Session

Nippon Steel’s planned acquisition of U.S. Steel

Q: I would like to ask you about Nippon Steel Corporation (Nippon Steel)’s plan to acquire United States Steel Corporation (U.S. Steel). Last Saturday, a media report said that President Biden would postpone the decision on whether to block the acquisition. As concerns have been raised over the possible impact on the local economy in case the acquisition fails, I think it is becoming difficult to immediately reject the plan. What is your view on that point?

A: Of course, I am aware of the media report about the development that you mentioned. However, this is a case for which procedures are ongoing based on U.S. law, and it is also a case that concerns individual businesses, so I would like to refrain from making comments on behalf of the government of Japan.

That said, as I have already mentioned, I recognize that it is essential for both sides to further strengthen the economic relationship, including expanding investments by both Japan and the United States, to realize sustainable and inclusive economic growth in the Indo-Pacific region, and to engage in cooperation in the field of economic security.

To promote those activities, my understanding is that the accumulation of individual transactions conducted by Japanese and U.S. companies is extremely important and that the accumulation of such transactions constitutes an important element of the robust economic relationship between Japan and the United States.