TOKYO, April 8 (Xinhua) -- A potentially explosive level of methane gas has been detected at the World Exposition 2025 venue in the western Japanese city of Osaka, prompting safety measures ahead of the event's opening, local media reported Tuesday.

The Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition said flammable gas exceeding safety standards was discovered on Sunday in an underground space for electrical equipment in the Green World construction area on the artificial island of Yumeshima in Osaka Bay where the event will be held, Kyodo News reported.

When the covering was opened for ventilation, the gas concentration fell below safety standards. The day marked the final rehearsal to check facility operations and traffic flow with visitors before the event's grand opening this Sunday, the report said.

The association said it would increase frequency of gas monitoring and install fences to restrict access in response to the accident.

Built on reclaimed land, Yumeshima, the man-made island, has areas where methane is generated due to buried waste beneath the surface.

Safety concerns over the accumulation of methane gas at the venue have lingered since an explosion in March 2024, when sparks from welding work in a restroom triggered an explosion after igniting gas that had accumulated beneath the floor. Following the accident, the organizer introduced regular gas monitoring and ventilation protocols. Enditem

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