section_path: History/21st century to present
section_name: 21st century to present
paragraph_text: 21st century to present
  
  The plan to reorganize Osaka and its province into a metropolis like Tokyo met with stiff opposition in some municipalities, particularly the highly populated Sakai. He then fell back on a project that included the suppression of the 24 wards of Osaka, thus dividing the city into 5 new special districts with a status similar to that of the 23 Special wards of Tokyo. It was introduced by former mayor Tōru Hashimoto, leader of the reform party Osaka Restoration Association which he founded. The referendum of May 17, 2015 called in Osaka for the approval of this project saw the narrow victory of no, and consequently Hashimoto announced his withdrawal from politics. A second referendum for a merger into 4 semi-autonomous wards was narrowly voted down by 692,996 (50.6%).
  
  According to the Forbes list of The World's Most Expensive Places To Live 2009, Osaka was the second most expensive in the world after Tokyo. By 2020 it slipped to 5th rank of most expensive cities.
  
  On 7 March 2014, the 300-metre tall Abeno Harukas opened, which became the tallest building in Japan (surpassing the Yokohama Landmark Tower in Yokohama), until it was in turn surpassed by the 330-metre tall Azabudai Hills Main Tower in Tokyo following its completion in 2022.
  
  Expo 2025 is being held at Yumeshima Island, Konohana-ku. Osaka is the third city to host the World Expo twice, previously hosting Expo '70. It is also the fourth World’s Fair held in Japan following Expo '90 and Expo 2005 in Aichi Prefecture. The event will return to its traditional 5-year scheduling cycle after the Expo 2020 in Dubai was delayed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The projected visitor count is approximately 28 million.
  
  MGM Resorts began construction on MGM Osaka in April 2025. MGM Osaka will be the first integrated resort in Japan. It will include 2,300 hotel rooms, a casino, shopping and dining options, convention space and a 3,500-seat theatre.