Japan’s Wakayama prefecture (pictured), which in 2022 waived a move to host an integrated resort (IR) with casino after the local assembly voted against taking part in the initial application round, still sees “positive economic benefits” to having one. So says the current governor, Shuhei Kishimoto, though he adds that the national government still hasn’t confirmed any fresh timetable for new applications.
The Wakayama prefectural government was “gathering information” in relation to that topic, the governor mentioned. He also stated the Japan Tourism Agency had sent a questionnaire on the IR topic in November, asking if the prefecture would like to apply in future.
Mr Kishimoto only took over as governor in December 2022, after Wakayama’s vote not to apply in the first round.
Nagasaki prefecture which did bid in the first round but did not have its plan approved, also mentioned in November it had received a questionnaire from the country’s authorities asking about the IR topic.
The MGM Osaka casino resort bid was the only successful one for the first round. The project – due to open in 2030 – is located at Yumeshima, an artificial island in Osaka Bay.
The Wakayama’s governor’s remarks on the IR topic were at a plenary meeting of the Wakayama prefectural assembly on March 5, according to information compiled by GGRAsia’s Japan correspondent.
Mr Kishimoto reportedly told the local assembly: “The prefecture answered that ‘it is interested in having an IR”.
He added the prefecture also told the Japan Tourism Agency: “If the next application window comes up, the prefecture would look into whether it should try or not from scratch.”
Addressing the local assembly directly, Wakayama’s governor stated: “At this moment, the central government has not officially said anything about the next application window. We are gathering the information about it.”
The official mentioned at the same occasion that while his administration recognised the “economic benefits” a casino resort project could bring to the prefecture, there were public concerns on issues surrounding such a project, including risk of gambling addiction, and public safety.
In July 2023, Mr Kishimoto had told the Kansai Press Club that his prefecture was open to discussion on developing a gaming resort, if the national government launched a second round of applications.
Wakayama prefecture closed in June 2022 the office that had coordinated its tilt at getting a casino complex, after the assembly vote in April that year, squashing such a step.
