Press Release

Photo session at the “Grand Ring Commemoration Ceremony”, 13 September, 2024.

The Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition (hereinafter referred to as “the Association”) held a ceremony on Friday, 13 September 2024 on the Skywalk of the Gand Ring to commemorate the completion of the 2 km circumference of the wooden structure of the Grand Ring on Wednesday, 21 August 2024. The Grand Ring is one of the largest wooden structures in the World and serves as the symbol of Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan (hereinafter referred to as “the Expo”) venue.

The ceremony was attended by the Association’s Executive Board Members, the Expo Site Design Producer FUJIMOTO Sou, and representatives of the Expo site construction joint venture.

In addition, a calligraphy performance was given by students from Ritsumeikan University, a co-creation partner of the TEAM EXPO 2025 programme.

Outline of the “Grand Ring Commemoration Ceremony”
Time and Date: 12:40 – 12:55, Friday, 13 September 2024
Venue : Grand Ring, North-East Construction Area, Yumeshima Island

Programme:
●　Greetings from the Organiser: TOKURA Masakazu, Chairperson of the Association
●　Producer’s greeting: FUJIMOTO Sou, Expo Site Design Producer
●　Calligraphy performance by Ritsumeikan University Calligraphy Club
●　Photo session for participants

Attendees:
The Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition
Chairperson (Senior Executive Board Member)
　TOKURA Masakazu  (Chairman, KEIDANREN (Japan Business Federation))
Secretary General  (Senior Executive Board Member)
　ISHIGE Hiroyuki
Deputy Chairpersons　 (Executive Board Members)
　MATSUMOTO Masayoshi  (Chairman, Kansai Economic Federation)
　MIYABE Yoshiyuki  (Co-Chairperson, Kansai Association of Corporate Executives)
　KAWASAKI Hiroya  (Chairman, Kobe Chamber of Commerce and Industry)
　YOSHIMURA Hirofumi  (Governor of Osaka Prefecture)
　YOKOYAMA Hideyuki  (Mayor of Osaka City)
　MIKAZUKI Taizo  (President, Union of Kansai Governments)
　IKENOBO Senko  (Headmaster Designate, Ikenobo Vice President, Ikenobo Society of Floral Art)
Executive Board Members
　Robert CAMPBELL  (University Professor, Waseda University)
　HIROSE Kyoko    (Vice-Chair, Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry: Advisor of Business Women’s Club, Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry; President, Hirose Manufacturing Co., Ltd.)
　FOLEY Junko  (Managing Directors, Kansai Association of Corporate Executives; President, Daidomon Co., Ltd)
Expo Site Design Producer
　FUJIMOTO Sou
Guests of honour: Representatives of the Expo Site Construction Joint Venture
Obayashi Corporation     
　HASUWA Kenji  (Representative Director, President, and CEO)
　NITTA Kojiro  (Executive Officer; Senior General Manager of Building Construction Division at Osaka Main Office (responsible for business development); Senior General Manager of Marketing Division Senior General Manager of Real Estate Development Division (responsible for Osaka Area); Senior General Manager of Yumeshima Development Division)
SHIMIZU CORPORATION
　SHINMURA Tatsuya (Executive Vice President and Representative Director)
　SUENAGA Toshihide (Managing Officer in charge of Building Construction Sales & Marketing, Kansai Area, Business Development & Marketing Headquarters and Sales & Marketing, Yumeshima (Osaka) Project)
TAKENAKA CORPORATION
　NAMBA Masato  (Chairman of the Board)
　KONO Osamu  (Executive Managing Officer)
KAJIMA CORPORATION
　ISHIKAWA Hiroshi  (Director, Executive Vice President)
　KAYANO Takeshi  (Managing Executive Officer)

■　Greetings from the Organisers and Expo Site Design Producer
　　The event was opened with greetings from the Association’s chairperson, TOKURA Masakazu and the Expo Site Design Producer, FUJIMOTO Sou, who designed the Grand Ring.

Greeting from the Organiser (TOKURA Masakazu, Chairperson of The Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition)

Greeting from the Producer（FUJIMOTO Sou, Expo Site Design Producer）

■　Calligraphy performance  
　　The greetings were followed by a calligraphy performance from the calligraphy club of Ritsumeikan University, a co-creation partner of the TEAM EXPO 2025 programme.

Performance by the Ritsumeikan University Calligraphy Club

■　Photo session for attendees

(Top row, from left)
FOLEY Junko       (Executive Board Member of the Association)
HIROSE Kyoko     (Executive Board Member of the Association)
Robert CAMPBELL  (Executive Board Member of the Association)
IKENOBO Senko    (Deputy Chairperson of the Association)
FUJIMOTO Sou     (Expo Site Design Producer)
TAKAMITA Nao     (Ritsumeikan University, College of Gastronomy Management, 3rd year; Calligraphy Club Vice-Representative (BKC campus representative))
UEKI Riho          (Ritsumeikan University, College of Social Sciences, 3rd year; Calligraphy Club Representative)
MIKAZUKI Taizo     (Deputy Chairperson of the Association)
YOKOYAMA Hideyuki  (Deputy Chairperson of the Association)
YOSHIMURA Hirofumi  (Deputy Chairperson of the Association)
MATSUMOTO Masayoshi  (Deputy Chairperson of the Association)

(Bottom, from left)
HASUWA Kenji     (Representative Director, President, and CEO,OBAYASHI CORPRATION)
SHINMURA Tatsuya (Executive Vice President and Representative Director, SHIMIZU CORPORATION)
NAMBA Masato    (Chairman of the Board, TAKENAKA CORPORATION)
ISHIKAWA Hiroshi  (Director, Executive Vice President, KAJIMA CORPORATION)
TOKURA Masakazu (Chairperson of the Association)
ISHIGE Hiroyuki    (Secretary General of the Association)
MIYABE Yoshiyuki  (Deputy Chairperson of the Association)
KAWASAKI Hiroya  (Deputy Chairperson of the Association)

Today, I would like to pay tribute to the efforts and hard work of all those involved, including all the construction companies who are here today. I feel deeply moved as I stand here. There are just over 200 days left until the opening of Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan. The Association will continue to make preparations so that we can welcome the opening of the Expo in the best possible manner.   The Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition Chairperson TOKURA Masakazu