In April 2014, Governor Ichirō Matsui of Osaka Prefecture announced that it would promote Yumeshima as a candidate site for an integrated resort (IR) with a casino. Additionally, Osaka made its official bid for the 2025 World Expo on April 24, 2017. Yumeshima was a possible location. with the theme “Designing Future Society for Our Lives”. On November 23, 2018, Osaka won the ballot vote. The World Expo will take place for six months in 2025.