Bacteria causes cancellation of water show at World Expo in Japan

The discovery of high levels of bacteria at the World Expo in Osaka, Japan, has led to the cancellation of a water show and the closure of a paddling pool, event organisers have announced.

In addition, visitors have previously complained that the giant water's edge area, where the Expo 2025 exhibition is being held until mid-October, was attacked by swarms of tiny flying insects.

Since it opened its doors in April, nearly six million people from more than 160 countries have visited the exhibition.

While surveys prior to the opening indicated that public interest in the exhibition was relatively low, organisers say the crowds are growing – a trend that has been particularly evident in recent weeks.

However, there have been concerns about the environmental conditions at the exhibition site, which is located on a part of one of the islands in Osaka Bay that was once the site of a landfill.

On Thursday, the organisers announced that they had been forced to close an area with a shallow pool of water where visitors, and especially children, could cool off due to a high concentration of legionella.

This announcement follows the announcement on Wednesday that the daily musical fountains and light shows in the artificial pond would be cancelled for the same reason.

They explained that the contaminated areas are currently being cleaned up, adding that a decision on whether to go ahead with the shows will be made on Friday.

A few days before the opening of the show, a leak of methane gas was detected on the grounds, which would have been enough to start a fire.

More recently, the organisers had to spray insecticides to deter swarms of the harmless, but troublesome mosquitoes.

World exhibitions are held every five years in different parts of the world, one of which was the occasion of the famous Eiffel Tower in Paris. The first such exhibition was held in 1851 at the Crystal Palace in London.