Former Staff Members at Japan’s Osaka-Kansai Expo Use Skills from Event to Begin New Careers

By Takeru Tsuzuki and Kazuki Sato / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writers

20:00 JST, April 25, 2026

Six months have passed since the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo came to an end. Since then, some of the nearly 20,000 staff members who worked at the Expo venue have embarked on new careers, bringing with them the experience and customer service skills they gained during the event.

On April 9, Ryoya Suzuki greeted a foreign guest who was checking out at the front desk of OMO7 Osaka by Hoshino Resorts, a hotel in the Shinsekai district of Osaka City.

Suzuki, 28, began working at the hotel in December. At the Expo, he was responsible for guiding visitors to the Better Co-Being pavilion, which was designed by Keio University Prof. Hiroaki Miyata.

Suzuki visited the 2005 Aichi Expo, which was held near his parents’ home, over 40 times. He said that he was delighted with his interactions with the friendly staff who spoke different languages at the international pavilions.

After graduating from university, Suzuki worked as a member of a regional revitalization cooperation team in Yura, Wakayama Prefecture, before applying for a job at the Osaka-Kansai Expo. He said his voice trembled with nerves when he began working there, as he was bad at speaking in front of people, but he gradually gained more confidence and was able to control his facial expressions.

As the Expo was drawing to a close, Suzuki learned that Hoshino Resorts Inc. was recruiting people from among the Expo staff. He had a dream of starting his own business in the hospitality industry, so he applied for a position.

Suzuki feels his experience at the Expo has greatly benefited his work at the hotel, especially when guiding guests to nearby tourist spots on the hotel’s tours. “There is no difference between the work at the hotel and the Expo venue in terms of making people happy. It is a very rewarding job,” he said. “I want to be a bridge connecting the local community and travelers.”

Expectations for contribution

Expectations were high that Osaka-Kansai Expo staff, who developed their customer service skills and language abilities, could be recruited quickly, so companies moved to actively hire them.

Major temp staffing agency Pasona Inc. in September held a corporate job fair targeting Expo staff. A total of 107 companies set up booths at the event, where they explained their business and employment conditions. The two-day event attracted about 2,500 attendees.

As a result, Hoshino Resorts hired Suzuki along with three others. Keihan Holdings Co., meanwhile, hired six who have been assigned to tourist information centers and other locations. Hankyu Hanshin Department Stores, Inc. also employed about 10 people in their 20s to 60s.

Expo in Yokohama

Hidemi Fukui, 34, who worked at the Sumitomo Pavilion at the Osaka-Kansai Expo, will work at the International Horticultural Expo 2027, Yokohama, which will be held in the city from March to September next year. She was hired in April by Osaka-based Toho-Leo Co., a participant in the upcoming expo.

Fukui’s experience with expo events began with the Dubai Expo, which was held from October 2021 to March 2022. She had always wanted to work overseas, so once she found out about a position available at the Japan Pavilion, she quit her job at a restaurant and applied.

Fukui stayed in Dubai for seven months, using her English proficiency to serve dignitaries from various countries. She said that working at the event gave her firsthand exposure to different cultures. Therefore, it was only natural for her to work at an expo in her home country.

As her experience in Dubai was highly valued, she was entrusted with the job of managing about 30 pavilion staff members who guided visitors at the Sumitomo Pavilion. Since the staff members varied widely in terms of age and customer service experience, Fukui said she worked with them sometimes as a mother figure, listening to their concerns and offering them support.

Fukui’s performance was recognized, and she was hired by Toho-Leo. She began her job at the company on April 1 and is now in charge of recruiting people who will work at the Yokohama event.

“The way visitors are treated directly affects their level of satisfaction at the event,” Fukui said. “I want to create an environment where each person can work with vitality.”