World's largest ring-shaped wooden roof completed in Japan

By Efe Ozkan

ISTANBUL (AA) - The world's largest ring-shaped wooden roof, constructed at a cost of $240 million, was completed in Osaka, central Japan on Wednesday.

The wooden roof, with a circumference of approximately two kilometers (1.24 miles) and the peak height of 20 meters (65 feet), is expected to function as the main area for World Expo 2025, offering protection from rain and sunlight during the event, which is scheduled to run from April 13 to Oct. 13 next year, according to Jiji Press.

The government had allocated 35 billion yen ($240 million) for the Grand Ring and faced criticism as a waste of public funds, with opposition lawmakers dubbing it "the most expensive parasol in the world."

Japan will host the World Expo for the third time in the event's 170-year history in 2025, with the international fair expected to draw more than 20 million visitors from around the world to Yumeshima, an artificial island in Osaka Bay.​​​​​​​