Visitors walk along the Grand Ring structure at the World Exhibition site in Osaka on Sept 24. With more than 200,000 visitors flocking to the expo each day since Sept 12, the total number could top 25 million but is expected to fall short of the association's pre-opening projection of 28.20 million. Ticket sales gradually picked up after the expo opened in mid-April, thanks to positive word-of-mouth. The number of visitors exceeds ticket sales as event passes allow multiple entry. Japan last hosted the World Exposition in Aichi Prefecture in 2005, drawing 22.05 million visitors.