Argentina studies withdrawing from the 2025 Japan World Expo

Argentina is considering withdrawing from the 2025 Osaka World Expo as the South American country struggles to secure financing for the construction of its pavilion.

If Argentina withdraws, it will be the fourth country to do so after Mexico, Estonia and Russia.

The Argentine economy has faced a long period of extremely high inflation, leading President Javier Milei to cut public spending after taking office in December, in addition to adopting a series of other measures.

The country planned to build a so-called Type A pavilion, in which participating nations design and build their own facilities. These types of pavilions are considered one of the main attractions of the event.

Panorama of the Osaka World Expo 2025

The Japan Association for the 2025 World Expo has suggested Argentina opt for less expensive options, such as Pavilion Type C, which will be built by the organizer and shared among participants, or Pavilion Type X, built by the organizer and rented. to the participants, who can make their own interior and exterior arrangements.

But negotiations with Argentina have stalled due to the country’s financial problems, according to sources.

Faced with rising costs of construction materials and labor shortages in the Japanese construction sector, the number of countries planning to build Type A pavilions has been reduced to 53 from 60 to 23 May, and 14 of them have not yet hired their builders.

The World Expo will be held from April 13 to October 13, 2025 on Yumeshima, an artificial island in Osaka Bay, under the motto “Designing the society of the future for our lives.”