Overview

• An electrical fault halted Osaka Metro’s Chuo Line at 9:30 pm on August 13, cutting off the only direct rail link used by about 70% of expo visitors
• Partial service returned before midnight but Yumeshima Station became overwhelmed, triggering entry restrictions and calls for visitors to use buses, trams or stay inside the grounds
• About 30,000 attendees faced extended delays with some spending the night onsite and 36 people taken to hospitals by morning for suspected heat-related or other non-serious symptoms
• Expo officials opened the site at 9:30 am on August 14—30 minutes earlier than planned—to ease pressure on station exits and manage incoming crowds
• Visitor accounts and media reports have highlighted deficiencies in crisis planning and communication by Osaka Metro and expo organisers, prompting calls for stronger contingency measures