海外パビリオン着工３割足らず　ＰＲ強化、反転攻勢なるか―大阪・関西万博まで１年

　２０２５年大阪・関西万博の開幕まで１３日で１年になった。準備の遅れが表面化する海外パビリオンでは、自前で建設する約５０カ国のうち、着工済みは３割弱にとどまり、政府や日本国際博覧会協会（万博協会）が支援を急ぐ。世論の批判が高まった開催費用の膨張対策では収支の管理を徹底。各国の展示内容など情報発信にも力を入れ、開催機運を盛り上げたい考えだ。
　「関係者が一丸となって、未来を切り開く万博を共につくり上げ、必ずや成功に導いていこう」―。１３日に都内で開かれた開幕１年前イベントで、訪米中の岸田文雄首相はビデオメッセージでこう訴えた。（2024/04/13-14:49）

Foreign pavilion construction for the 2025 World Exposition has been slow with only one year to go before the start of the event in the western Japan city of Osaka.
   The Japanese government and the Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition, the organizer of the event, are rushing to provide support for overseas pavilions as only less than 30 pct of some 50 countries planning to build pavilions on their own have begun construction work.
   The government is also working on dispelling concerns among the public over ballooning costs of the expo, while trying to boost momentum for the event by providing more information about foreign pavilions.
   "Let's work together to create a world exposition that will open up the future, and lead it to a success," Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said in a video message sent to a ceremony held in Tokyo on Saturday.
   Currently, 80 pct of a ring-shaped roof, which will be one of the largest wooden structures in the world, has been built, and the wooden portion is expected to be completed by the end of September.