Demolition of Osaka-Kansai Expo’s Symbolic Grand Ring Begins in Earnest

The Yomiuri Shimbun

12:19 JST, December 6, 2025

OSAKA – Demolition work on the Grand Ring, a symbol of the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo, is underway on the artificial island of Yumeshima in Osaka. Except for parts to be preserved, it will be dismantled by August 2027.

Demolition work began in earnest on Monday. Three joint venture companies, primarily led by the major general contractors Obayashi Corp., Takenaka Corp. and Shimizu Corp. — the same firms that built it — are handling the demolition of the structure, which is 2 kilometers in circumference. Work is progressing on the removal of the columns and beams. On Friday, aerial views showed the wooden roof sections on the west side being removed.

The governments of Osaka Prefecture and Osaka City plan to preserve only a 200-meter section, with the city developing the surrounding area into parks and green spaces. The dismantled timber will be reused for projects like public housing to aid in the recovery from the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake.