NAMIE, Fukushima － Some of the wood used to build the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo’s emblematic Ring comes from timber harvested in Fukushima Prefecture.
The Ring, also known as the Grand Roof, is one of the largest wooden structures in the world, with a circumference of 2 kilometers.
Glued laminated timber used for the Ring was produced by Woodcore Corp., a company based in Namie in the prefecture.
“We want to welcome visitors from all over the world with lumber from Namie and make them feel the recovery of Fukushima,” said Hidehiro Asada, 57, a director of the company, expressing his feelings about the revival of the forestry industry and reconstruction of his hometown.
2025年に開幕する大阪・関西万博のシンボルとなる巨大屋根「リング」。全周２キロの“世界最大級の木造建築物”を支える木材の一部は、福島県産材が使われている。浪江町のウッドコアが製造した集成材だ。同社取締役の朝田英洋さん（57）＝同町＝は「浪江発の木材で世界中からのお客さんを迎え、福島の復興を感じてもらいたい」と、林業再生と故郷の復興への思いを募らせる。
The company provided about 6,600 cubic meters of timber for the northeastern part of the Ring. About 3,500 cubic meters of that amount came from locally grown Japanese cedar from Fukushima Prefecture.
The laminated timber, which is made by gluing together planks of wood to increase their strength, is produced in Namie at the Fukushima Advanced Manufacturing Center for Laminated Timber (FLAM) operated by the company, as well as in other places.
Woodcore was established via a partnership between Namie-based Asada Mokuzai Sangyo and Toju Sangyo, which is based in Koriyama, also in the prefecture.
リング北東部の木材6,600立方メートルはウッドコアが手がけた。そのうち3,500立方メートルで福島県産材のスギが使われている。集成材は板状の木材を貼り合わせて強度を高めたもので、同社が運営する浪江町の集成材量産工場「福島高度集成材製造センター（エフラム）」などで製造された。
ウッドコアは、朝田木材産業（浪江町）と藤寿産業（郡山市）が共同で設立した。
By providing materials for the World Expo, Asada wanted to contribute to the revitalization of the forestry industry in Fukushima Prefecture following the accident at Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc.’s Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant.
Asada is the fourth-generation president of Asada Mokuzai Sangyo, which has been in the lumber business in Namie since 1912.
The town has a long history of lumber production, taking advantage of the rich timber resources of the Abukuma mountain range. The nuclear accident, however, forced the entire town to evacuate.
Asada restarted his business a few years after the accident but experienced a period of slow sales due to harmful rumors.
万博への資材提供に当たっては、東京電力福島第１原発事故からの本県の林業再生への思いがあった。朝田さんは浪江町で1912（大正元）年から製材業をしている朝田木材産業の４代目でもある。
元々同町は阿武隈山系の豊かな木材資源を利用して製材業が盛んな地域だったが、原発事故で全町避難を余儀なくされた。朝田さんは震災から数年後には事業を再開させたが、風評で売れない時期も経験した。
FLAM was founded in 2021. Its first task after becoming fully operational is the World Expo, which will be visited by people from all over the world. FLAM has been manufacturing laminated wood as if its operating company is on a mission to represent Fukushima Prefecture.
In October, Asada visited the Expo site to see the Grand Roof.
He took in the magnificent view from the top of the Ring and felt the overflowing warmth of the wood.
“After the nuclear accident, there was a time when people avoided using wood from Fukushima, but now that it’s being used to this extent, it’s something I can be proud of,” he said.
The Expo will start on April 13 and run for six months through Oct. 13. Asada hopes that wood made in Namie will make a name for itself on the world stage.
“I hope that as many people as possible will see [the Ring] and feel a little bit of Fukushima,” Asada said.
（ Translated by The Japan News ）
そこからエフラムが2021年に完成。本格稼働してから最初の仕事が世界中の人が訪れる万博となり、福島県の企業としての使命感を持って集成材を製造してきた。10月には大屋根を見学に現地を訪れた。リングの上からの壮大な眺めと、あふれるほどの木のぬくもり―。「原発事故後は福島の木材が敬遠されたこともあったが、ここまで使ってもらえるまでになって誇りを持てた」と思いが込み上げた。
万博は４月13日に開幕し、10月13日まで半年間開かれる。メード・イン・浪江の木材を世界へ―。朝田さんは「多くの人に（リングを）見てもらい、少しでも福島を感じてもらえたら」と期待する。
【 ２０２４年１２月６日付・福島民友新聞掲載 】
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