Osaka Couple Donates ¥400 Million for Permanent Expo Landmark

An elderly couple from Osaka has donated a total of four hundred million yen to Osaka City with the hope that the funds will help create a permanent symbol of the Osaka Kansai Expo. Japanese media report that Keihachi Fukunishi and his wife Akiyo, both eighty five, contributed two hundred million yen each and received a certificate of appreciation from Mayor Hideyuki Yokoyama on August twenty four.

Some reports say the couple asked the city to consider building a large standing statue of MYAKU-MYAKU at the Yumeshima site, something that future visitors could see from Yumeshima Station just as the Tower of the Sun became the enduring symbol of Expo seventy.

The Osaka Kansai Expo welcomed more than twenty five million visitors over six months and focused on ideas for a future society that supports life. Pavilions from around the world showcased new approaches to health, sustainability and technology. Yumeshima, the artificial island that hosted the event, is now scheduled for redevelopment into a commemorative park zone that will preserve part of the Grand Ring and add new public green space. Within this plan, MYAKU-MYAKU became one of the most recognizable characters of the Expo. It served as the official mascot, designed to represent the flow of life and the connection between people, and its red and blue cellular form appeared everywhere from merchandise to signage. Because of this, commentators have suggested that MYAKU-MYAKU may become the modern counterpart to the Tower of the Sun, a symbol that still stands today and continues to define Expo seventy’s legacy.

Reports note that the couple suggested a height of around twenty meters for the statue, roughly matching the preserved section of the Grand Ring. They also emphasized that any permanent structure should be built to withstand earthquakes and typhoons. Osaka City has stated that it intends to move forward in the direction the couple requested, although final design and placement decisions have not yet been announced. Fukunishi is known in Kansai for his work in implant dentistry and serves as director of a dental and oral surgery clinic in Osaka’s Nishi Ward. His wife Akiyo is vice director at the same clinic. They described the donation as an expression of gratitude toward the city of Osaka, Osaka Prefecture and the national government.

City officials have not released a detailed plan for how the donation will be used. Some reports suggest that discussions will accelerate as redevelopment of Yumeshima continues, but no formal project announcement has been published. Even so, the gesture has drawn attention for its intention as much as its size. It reflects a desire to preserve the energy of the Expo and pass it on to future generations.

Their act is an expression of gratitude toward the city they love, and it stands alongside the many gestures that support communities across Japan. Our gratitude is toward all the people who continue to uplift this beautiful nation in meaningful ways.

Source: Yomiuri Shimbun Online