Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko visited the venue of the 2025 World Exposition in Osaka on Wednesday.
The Crown Prince serves as honorary president of the Expo, which will be held in the city for six months from April 13.
The Imperial couple observed the whole venue from the top of the ring-shaped roof called the Grand Ring, the world's largest wooden structure and a symbol of the Expo.
Crown Prince Akishino expressed surprise that 70% of the wood used to build the roof was produced domestically.
The couple also inspected the Japan Pavilion, where Japanese products and technologies will be on display, and the Osaka Healthcare Pavilion, to be run by the Osaka prefectural and municipal governments.
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