Japan has broken ground on its pavilion at the Expo 2020 Dubai site. The groundbreaking ceremony marks the official start of construction and involved Akihiko Nakajima, the Japanese ambassador to the UAE, Akima Umezawa, consul-general of Japan in Dubai, Tomiyasu Nakamura, commissioner general of the Japan Pavilion, and Najeeb Mohammed Al Ali, executive director, Dubai Expo 2020 Bureau.

According to a report by WAM, preparations for exhibits at the Expo 2020 Dubai Japan Pavilion are underway under the leadership of the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, co-organised by the Ministry of International affairs and Communications and several other ministries.

The pavilion was designed by Yuko Nagayama, director of Yuko Nagayama and Associates and NTT facilities. The design and construction of the Japan Pavilion is said to focus on the connection between the Middle East and Japan and sustainability. Both principles are incorporated into the design and content of the pavilion, which draw inspiration from traditional Middle Eastern and Japan architecture, technology and culture.

The façade’s structure will feature Arabesque and Asanoha patterns and is said to represent the history of connections and crossing of cultures between Japan and the Middle East. According to the report, visitors will be welcomed by a 3D facade, which draws inspiration from Japanese Origami shapes that symbolise the respect shown to others through the Japanese art of Origata gift wrapping.

The Pavilion will make use of an environmentally friendly, natural cooling mechanism that is inspired by traditional Arabic and Japanese technologies – windcathers and uchimizu, in line with the emphasis on sustainability.