Mexico, Estonia withdraw from 2025 World Expo in Japan's Osaka

Mexico and Estonia have withdrawn from the 2025 World Exposition to be held in the western Japanese city of Osaka, Japan's minister overseeing the event said Tuesday, citing rising construction cost of building pavilions.

"We have been notified (by the two nations) that they would not participate in the Osaka Expo," Regional Revitalization Minister Hanako Jimi told a press conference. "We understand that their decisions are due to financial circumstances at home."

Meanwhile, nine countries, including Denmark and Finland, have decided to participate in the Expo, Jimi said.

The withdrawals of Mexico and Estonia and the additions of the nine countries will bring the number of foreign countries and regions taking part in the Osaka Expo to 160, up from 153, according to the Japanese foreign ministry.

Themed "Designing Future Society of Our Lives," the World Expo 2025 is scheduled to be held from April 13 to October 13, 2025, on the artificial island of Yumeshima in Osaka Bay.