Expoland, located in

Suita is a city located in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 381,238 in 182,636 households, and a population density of 11,000 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . It is a suburban city of Osaka City and a p ...

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

was opened as the amusement zone at the

International Exposition A world's fair, also known as a universal exhibition, is a large global exhibition designed to showcase the achievements of nations. These exhibitions vary in character and are held in different parts of the world at a specific site for a perio ...

in 1970 (

Expo '70 The or Expo '70 was a world's fair held in Suita, Osaka Prefecture, Japan, between 15 March and 13 September 1970. Its theme was "Progress and Harmony for Mankind." In Japanese, Expo '70 is often referred to as . It was the first world's fair ...

) in

Osaka is a Cities designated by government ordinance of Japan, designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the List of cities in Japan, third-most populous city in J ...

and thrived for over 30 years as an

amusement park An amusement park is a park that features various attractions, such as rides and games, and events for entertainment purposes. A theme park is a type of amusement park that bases its structures and attractions around a central theme, often fea ...

. There were more than 40 rides and attractions (including eight roller coasters) and 19 restaurants and shops. The park was permanently closed in 2009. On May 5, 2007, Fujin Raijin II, the park's

TOGO Togo, officially the Togolese Republic, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Ghana to Ghana–Togo border, the west, Benin to Benin–Togo border, the east and Burkina Faso to Burkina Faso–Togo border, the north. It is one of the le ...

stand-up coaster, derailed, killing Yoshino Kogawara, a 19-year-old university student from Higashiomi, Shiga and injuring an additional nineteen guests. Initial reports said that forty people were injured, with thirty-one being taken to hospital. An investigation revealed that the ride derailed due to a broken axle, of which none had been replaced for fifteen years. Following this accident, similar coasters at other Japanese parks were voluntarily shut down and inspected to see if they could also have the same axle flaw. Expoland was cited by authorities for faulty maintenance when similar axle cracks were found on a second train a month later. The park reopened after the accident but closed again on December 9, 2007, citing a lack of attendance. On February 9, 2009, its owners decided to close the park down permanently.

References

External links

*Archive o
Official website
{{Coord, 34, 48, 20, N, 135, 32, 06, E, display=title, region:JP-27_type:landmark_source:dewiki Tourist attractions in Osaka Prefecture 2007 in Japan Buildings and structures in Osaka Prefecture Defunct amusement parks in Japan

Land Land, also known as dry land, ground, or earth, is the solid terrestrial surface of Earth not submerged by the ocean or another body of water. It makes up 29.2% of Earth's surface and includes all continents and islands. Earth's land sur ...

1970 establishments in Japan 2009 disestablishments in Japan Suita World's fair sites in Osaka Amusement parks opened in 1970 Amusement parks closed in 2009