Osaka Director of Creation Yu Masaki yesterday visited the Bureau of Shanghai World Expo Coordination to talk about Osaka's participation in the Urban Best Practice Area.

Huang Yaocheng, deputy director of the Bureau of Shanghai World Expo Coordination, met with the director and introduced the aims of the UBPA.

Huang said the UBPA will answer three questions: what kind city makes for a better life, what kind of values and practices make a better city, and what kind of city makes a better world.

Masaki said Osaka has a deep friendship with Shanghai and hosted the World Expo in 1970.

The Osaka government has called for enterprises in the city to take part in the Expo. The city has also gathered economy experts to talk about participation in the UBPA, Masaki said.

Huang said Shanghai will help Osaka's participation in the UBPA at Expo 2010 Shanghai.

So far, 71 cities have agreed to submit their practices. Thirty cities, including Liverpool in Britain, Madrid in Spain, St. Paul in Brazil and Zurich in Switzerland, have officially submitted 38 cases for selection.

The deadline for UBPA selection has been pushed back to January 31, 2008. The international selection committee will have the third selection meeting to decide the practices in the area.