A man was acknowledged at the Japanese World Expo for tickets to the 1940 event, which ended up being canceled due to the worsening war situation, according to organizers.
Tickets for the “Magic Japanese International Expo” in Tokyo were made available in 1938, but the event was indefinitely postponed as Japan became more involved in World War II.
Organizers for Expo 2025, taking place in Osaka from last month until mid-October, announced they would issue tickets for the canceled 1940 event to their holders.
On Monday, one individual exchanged an old ticket for two single-day passes to Expo 2025, as stated in their announcement.
Local reports identified the 1940 ticket owner as 25-year-old Fumiya Takeuchi, who resides in Tokyo but was visiting her parents in Osaka.
Takeuchi collects expo memorabilia and purchased the 1940 tickets online back in March, as reported by various local outlets.
The news featured a photo of her smiling while holding the old ticket.
The World Expo, which introduced the Eiffel Tower to Paris, dates back to the Crystal Palace exhibition in London in 1851 and now occurs in various locations every five years.
Earlier Expos in Japan, such as the one in Osaka in 1970 and the Aichi region in 2005, similarly offered “invitation tickets” to holders of the 1940 tickets, according to the 2025 organizers.
Takeuchi reportedly appreciates the iconic red and white “Tower Sun,” a landmark from the 1970 Osaka Expo, still located in a park in the city.
