The organizer of the 2025 World Expo in Osaka and relevant organizations have agreed to preserve part of the Grand Ring, which serves as a symbol of the Expo, after the event closes in October.
The Grand Ring, recognized as the world’s largest wooden architectural structure, reaches a height of up to 20 meters and measures about 2 kilometers in circumference.
Officials from the Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition, the Osaka prefectural and city governments, the business community and other entities are discussing what to do with the structure after the event’s conclusion.
On Tuesday’s meeting, they reached an agreement that the northeastern portion of the ring, a length of about 200 meters, will be kept close to its original form so people can climb to the rooftop. They also agreed that Osaka City will maintain the ring and its surrounding area as a municipal memorial park.
The officials are planning to fund renovation and other costs from the city’s expenditures. They are also considering sharing the burden with Osaka Prefecture, turning to national subsidies, and using surplus funds if the Expo’s balance sheet goes into the black. They are seeking support from businesses as well.
The Osaka prefectural and city governments initially planned to ask the private sector to redevelop the site, including the preservation and management of the ring. But the city decided to manage the site as it will take time to assess the condition of the wood and conduct other surveys.
It is estimated that renovations and 10 years of maintenance will cost a total of about 5.5 billion yen, or about 37.5 million dollars.
AloJapan.com