The Czech Republic has submitted a request for permission for a temporary structure for the pavilion at Expo 2025

Prague – The Czech Republic, as the second country after South Korea, has submitted an application for a temporary construction permit for the national pavilion at the Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan, to the building authority. Essentially, this marks the start of the process for obtaining a building permit. The building authority now has about six to eight weeks to approve the documents. CTK was informed about this today by Jana Kohoutová, spokesperson for the Czech participation at Expo.

The process for obtaining a building permit in Japan consists of several phases. Among them is the submission of a basic plan to the exhibition organizer, which the Czech Republic submitted in early June. On Monday, the application for the temporary construction permit was submitted.

While waiting for the permit to be issued, architects and designers from Apropos Architects, in collaboration with Tereza Šváchová, Nikoleta Slováková, and the Japanese studio Kino Architects, will be finalizing the documentation so that the Czech Republic can present the final documentation to the Japanese authorities for the issuance of the building permit in the autumn. This is expected to be issued in about two weeks, according to the press release.

"We are aware of the rising costs of materials and labor in Japan, which, like the Czech Republic, is struggling with inflation. However, we are doing everything possible to show the world a unique national pavilion that will become one of the largest wooden buildings in the Czech Republic and is already generating interest far beyond our borders," stated Ondřej Soška, the general commissioner for the Czech participation at Expo 2025.

A total of 153 countries and eight international organizations have signed up for participation in the exhibition, with 56 countries or regions planning to build their own pavilions. Other countries and organizations plan to rent pre-prepared spaces from the organizers.

The exhibition will take place between April and October 2025, with its main theme being "Creating Future Societies for Our Lives." According to Soška's earlier statements, organizers expect attendance of up to 28.5 million people. The organizers have already allocated land to the Czech Republic for the pavilion, located on the seafront promenade. This is the space that the Czech Republic preferred.

Expo will return to Osaka after 55 years. At that time, the Czechoslovak pavilion designed by architect Viktor Rudiš was visited by approximately 11 million people, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The government confirmed participation in the exhibition and the concept with which the Czech Republic will present itself at the end of June last year. The budget for Czech participation is set to be 290.2 million crowns for the years 2023 to 2026. An additional 170 to 220 million will come from external sources.