Universal Studios Japan plans land purchase to enlarge park as tourism soars

Universal Studios Japan is negotiating to acquire a 60,000-square-metre lot that would increase the park’s footprint by roughly 10 %, according to sources familiar with the matter. The parcel, once part of a Nippon Steel Corp. plant, is presently owned by several parties including the Osaka city government, whose lease with the steelmaker ends in 2027. The operator expects to secure a lease, representing the first enlargement of the 540,000-square-metre venue since its 2001 debut.

Visitor numbers surged to 16 million in 2024, making it the world’s third-largest theme park by attendance. Mayor Hideyuki Yokoyama announced on social media that the city will reveal its plan next Thursday. Earlier, the company abandoned a proposed Okinawa park to concentrate on its existing site, while a 60-billion-yen investment in Super Nintendo World, opened in 2021, continues to attract tourists.