The organizers of the ongoing Osaka Expo have broadly agreed to preserve part of the Grand Ring, the iconic wooden structure at the expo venue, after the six-month event concludes.
The agreement was reached at a meeting Friday among the Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition, the central government, the Osaka prefectural and city governments, and the business community. They confirmed that a concrete plan will be decided during a meeting on June 23.
Proposals floated at Friday's meeting included one for keeping intact part of the 600-meter section on the ocean side of the ring, which has a circumference of about 2 kilometers, and another for preserving the structure nearly in its current condition based on an idea from the private sector to conserve a 200-meter section of the ring as a monument.
The parties concerned will also discuss how to share costs for preservation and who will be in charge of managing the preserved structure.
After the meeting, Osaka Gov. Hirofumi Yoshimura told reporters that he proposed the option of preserving part of the section on the ocean side. "The ring should be partially preserved as a legacy (of the Osaka Expo)," he said.
In a survey conducted by the association for Expo visitors, 86.4% of the respondents said they were "very much" or "somewhat" satisfied with the Grand Ring. The survey result was reported to Friday's meeting.
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