Japan’s Nagasaki prefecture has allocated just under JPY1.52 billion (US$11.4 million) in its draft budget for fiscal year 2023 beginning in April for its pursuit of an integrated resort (IR) with casino.
The metropolis made an application to the national government in April last year, but is still waiting – in common with the other hopeful for a casino resort, Osaka – for a response from the central authorities.
Nagasaki has spoken of a JPY438.3-billion scheme – to be located at Sasebo (pictured) – with commercial partners Casinos Austria International Japan Inc, but has yet publicly to confirm the funding for it.
In its draft budget, Nagasaki has – according to GGRAsia’s Japan correspondent – identified nearly JPY427.7 million for its IR promotion division, which would be a 147.0-percent increase on the financial-year 2022 budget for that office.
Within the IR promotion division budget, just under JPY99.0 million is for “monitoring” costs; nearly JPY97.3 million was for effort linked to transportation infrastructure upgrades; JPY74.1 million is for costs linked to planning for meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) business.
A further JPY157.3 million from within the IR promotion division budget is for costs linked to measures including the tackling of gambling addiction, the latter a key focus of national-government policy on IRs.
Other local-government departments with IR-related items include the road construction division, the port facilities division, and the international tourism promotion division.
