Construction of Expo 2025’s Japan Pavilion Begins; 3-Story Building to Use Cross-Laminated Timber

The Yomiuri Shimbun

14:02 JST, September 12, 2023

OSAKA — A groundbreaking ceremony took place Monday for the Japan pavilion of the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo on Osaka’s man-made Yumeshima Island.

The pavilion will serve as a venue for the government to promote the expo’s theme of “Designing Future Society for Our Lives” as the host country and also play a diplomatic role in welcoming foreign dignitaries and other visitors.

The construction of a three-story building is expected to be completed by the end of February 2025, ahead of the expo’s opening in April of that year. It will have interior and exterior walls of cross-laminated timber panels made from multiple layers of wood.

The construction cost is expected to be ¥7.678 billion, about ¥920 million more than initially planned due to soaring material costs and other factors. It may rise further in the future.

The expo plans to have about 110 pavilions to be run under different themes and by participating countries and corporations. There will also be a pavilion featuring Osaka Prefecture and Osaka City.