OSAKA -- A group of Japanese companies looks to build a luxury Waldorf Astoria hotel as a main attraction in an urban redevelopment project in Osaka, a city short on top-class accommodations.
Mitsubishi Estate and the other eight companies handling the project on the north side of Osaka Station hope that a Waldorf -- one of Hilton's crown jewels -- would draw affluent visitors from Japan and abroad. The new hotel at the earliest may open before the city hosts the World Expo in 2025.
