As mentioned in our special info-graphic Japan - One Year On, Japan continues to be a pioneer in construction despite recent struggles following the Great East Japan Earthquake that struck in March 2011. Tuesday 22 May will see the opening of Tokyo Sky Tree, which at a height of 634 metres makes it the tallest freestanding tower in the world. It is also the second tallest structure in the world (after Burj Khalifa in Dubai, which stands at 829.84 metres tall).

The tower is located in Sumida Ward, Tokyo. One of its main purposes is to relay television and radio broadcast signals since Tokyo Tower (at a height of 333 metres) no longer adequately provides broadcasting coverage. As well as being a broadcasting tower, Tokyo Sky Tree also has a restaurant, cafes, and an observation deck with a glass floor that allows visitors to look straight down onto the city.

This impressive structure is intended to act as a catalyst for the revitalisation of the city and to contribute to disaster prevention. Its aesthetic appeal lies in the combination of futuristic and traditional Japanese elements reflected in the design.

The tower is painted in a colour officially called "Sky Tree White", an original colour based on a bluish-white traditional colour called aijiro. It will also be illuminated by sky-blue and purple LEDs.

The name Tokyo Sky Tree was decided upon after a public vote and was officially announced on 10 June 2008 after receiving over 33,000 votes (30% of the total).

The height of the tower, 634 metres, was selected so that it could be easily remembered. The numbers in Japanese - 6 (mu), 3 (sa) and 4 (shi) - stand for 'Musashi', an old name for the region in which modern Tokyo is located.

The structure of the tower includes an interesting wall foundation called Knuckle Wall. This is a wall-shaped reinforced concrete foundation with knuckles or bumps. The knuckles act like anchors in the ground and the foundation can bear much stronger upward and downward forces than ordinary wall foundations. The tower is constructed from very strong steel tubes which surround the concrete core but are structurally separate from it in its mid-section. The concrete core and steel frame are designed to offset each other to reduce the movement of the building in the event of an earthquake.

Tokyo Sky Tree expects thousands of visitors in its opening weeks, many of whom have already reserved their tickets, and it is anticipated that it will become one of Tokyo's most impressive tourist attractions.