USJ to expand theme park site for first time

Osaka – USJ, the operator of Universal Studios Japan, is set to expand the site of the movie theme park in Osaka for the first time since its 2001 opening.

The Osaka Municipal Government said Tuesday that it will lease a land plot adjacent to the northern side of the theme park to the company. A lease contract is expected to be concluded in 2028.

By building new attractions on the site, the company hopes to attract more visitors to the popular theme park.

The site of about 30,000 square meters, currently leased to Nippon Steel, is scheduled to be returned in June next year, according to the city.

USJ approached the city in April this year about a lease of the land and aims to finalize the contract while conducting a survey on possible soil contamination at the site.

“This is a very welcome proposal for us because we aim to revitalize the entire Osaka Bay area,” Osaka Mayor Hideyuki Yokoyama said at a news conference Tuesday.

The theme park currently stands on a site of about 540,000 square meters. It had about 16 million visitors in fiscal 2024.

The company said that it “supports the city’s tourism and economic development goals and has entered into preliminary discussions” with the municipal government to “explore the potential long-term lease of the site.”