Universal Studios Japan could be preparing for its biggest expansion yet, with reports suggesting as much as ¥300 billion - around $1.88 billion - could be invested in extending the hugely popular Osaka theme park onto neighbouring land.
The proposed development would use approximately 60,000 square metres immediately north of the existing park and, if it goes ahead, would mark the first time Universal Studios Japan has physically expanded its overall site since opening in 2001.
There is one important caveat. Universal has not officially announced the project, with Universal Destinations & Experiences telling Reuters that the reported expansion plans have not yet been confirmed.
Up to $1.88 billion could be invested
According to a report from Japanese newspaper Nikkei, Universal Studios Japan is considering investing between ¥200 billion and ¥300 billion in the development.
That puts the potential investment at approximately $1.26 billion to $1.88 billion, making this a considerably larger project than simply adding another attraction within the existing park.
The new area would reportedly occupy around 60,000 square metres of neighbouring land, including part of a former Nippon Steel factory site north of Universal Studios Japan.
Some of the land is owned by Osaka's municipal government, with the park operator reportedly expected to finalise a lease agreement for the city-owned portion by around 2028.
No construction timetable or opening date has yet been reported.
The first major expansion beyond the existing park
Universal Studios Japan has changed dramatically during its first 25 years, but much of that development has taken place by redeveloping or expanding areas within its existing boundaries.
This proposal would be different.
Opening in Osaka in March 2001, Universal Studios Japan has continually reinvented sections of the park as new franchises have become central to Universal's theme park strategy.
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter arrived in 2014, followed by Minion Park in 2017 and Super Nintendo World in 2021.
Super Nintendo World itself grew substantially in December 2024 with the opening of Donkey Kong Country. Universal said the addition increased the overall size of Super Nintendo World by around 70 percent and introduced Mine-Cart Madness alongside a completely new Donkey Kong environment.
Minion Park followed with another expansion in July 2025, growing by approximately 40 percent and introducing Illumination's Villain-Con Minion Blast.
Those additions demonstrate just how aggressively Universal has continued investing in Osaka, but expanding onto neighbouring land would give the resort something particularly valuable: genuinely new space.
Universal wants to grow beyond 16 million visitors
The reported plans come as Universal Studios Japan sits among the world's most visited theme parks.
Reuters reports that the Osaka park currently welcomes around 16 million visitors annually, making it Japan's most attended theme park, with the proposed expansion intended to help push that figure even higher.
Increasing the number of international visitors is reportedly a particular focus.
That strategy makes sense given Universal Studios Japan's increasingly global appeal. Super Nintendo World has become an international destination in its own right, while the park regularly combines major Universal properties with franchises particularly popular in Japan.
Its location in Osaka also puts the park within one of Japan's biggest international tourism regions, with Kyoto and other major destinations within relatively easy reach.
What could Universal build?
This is where things become considerably less certain.
There are currently no confirmed lands, rides or franchises attached to the reported development.
Universal has a rapidly growing collection of theme park properties it could draw from, but there is no evidence yet connecting any particular brand with the Osaka expansion.
That means suggestions involving Nintendo, Harry Potter, Universal Monsters or attractions already appearing at Epic Universe should currently be treated as speculation rather than plans.
What the reported scale does suggest is that Universal would have significantly more freedom than it typically has when replacing an existing attraction inside the tightly developed park.
A new 60,000-square-metre site could potentially accommodate a substantial themed area or collection of attractions rather than a single replacement ride.
A huge moment for Universal Studios Japan
The timing is particularly fitting as Universal Studios Japan celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2026.
During those 25 years, the park has evolved from a traditional Universal movie park into a destination home to some of the company's most important modern franchises.
A physical expansion of the park's boundaries would represent another major step in that evolution.
There is still a long way to go. Universal has not formally confirmed the investment, agreements for some of the land are reportedly still several years away and nothing has been revealed about what guests might eventually find there.
But an investment potentially reaching ¥300 billion makes this a project worth watching closely.
What would you add to Universal Studios Japan?
If Universal suddenly had a huge new area to work with in Osaka, what would you want it to build?
Would you expand one of the park's existing worlds, bring an Epic Universe attraction to Japan or introduce something completely new?
Follow ThrillSense as we track the reported expansion and bring you the latest developments as Universal Studios Japan's future plans become clearer.
