[Edaily Reporter LEE SEON-WOO ] The Japanese government is pushing ahead with the development of a port on the artificial island of "Yumeshima" in Osaka where ferries and cruise ships can dock. This measure is intended to improve accessibility for domestic and international visitors in line with the second phase of the artificial island’s development, which is set to begin in earnest ahead of the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo.
According to an E-Daily report on the 17th, a policy report recently published by the Port Subcommittee of the Transport Policy Committee under Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) included the “Yumeshima Ferry and Cruise Terminal Construction Plan.” This plan further details the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism’s “Basic Plan for Specific Port Facility Development Projects” for this year. If the construction of the Yumeshima port leads to an increase in calls by global shipping lines at Osaka, a decrease or dispersion of demand for South Korean ports (such as Busan and Jeju) is expected to be inevitable.

In the report, the committee stated, “To develop Yumeshima into a new international tourism hub—including Japan’s first integrated resort (IR

, scheduled to open around the fall of 2030—maritime accessibility must be improved.” It further emphasized, “In addition to regular ferry services such as the ‘Nanko Ferry Terminal’ (Osaka South Port), which currently connects Osaka with Shikoku and Kyushu, it is necessary to construct new docks and piers capable of accommodating large cruise ships operated by global shipping lines.”
The northern coast of the island is reportedly the leading candidate for the Yumeshima Ferry and Cruise Terminal. Currently, the only transportation links connecting the Osaka mainland to Yumeshima are the Metro Central Line (Yumeshima Station), which opened in 2025, and the “Yumemai Bridge,” a road bridge. Even so, the shuttle buses and express buses that used to run across the Yumemai Bridge have been suspended since the Expo ended.

Currently, large-scale development projects are underway on the artificial island, following the Osaka-Kansai Expo that concluded last October. On the northern part of the island, MGM, Orix, and other companies are constructing Japan’s first casino resort complex at a cost of 1.51 trillion yen (approximately 14 trillion won). Centered around a 27-story main tower, the complex will feature a luxury hotel with 2,500 rooms, an exhibition and convention center, and food and beverage and shopping facilities.
In the central part of the island, where the Expo site was located, a second-phase development is underway, led by Osaka Prefecture and Osaka City. This project aims to create a leisure and entertainment complex featuring a large stadium, a racing circuit, a theme park, and hotels, with a project budget of 1 trillion yen (approximately 9 trillion won).