Japan’s national government has a policy aim of starting this year a fresh process round for integrated resorts (IRs) with casinos, with the hope of approving “by December 2027” as many as two new locations to supplement the under-development MGM Osaka scheme.
That is according to the Hokkaido Shimbun newspaper, in Tuesday reporting. It said Hokkaido – Japan’s northernmost prefecture which in 2019 dropped out of contention prior to the first-round applications – had said it was “interested” in hosting one IR via a fresh application round. The news outlet also stated that Tokyo – which has conducted studies on the matter but not announced any commitment for or against – was also interested in hosting an IR.
The news outlet gave no indication of the source of the information on either the new round, or the potential interest of Hokkaido and Tokyo.
The media outlet said interested parties would need during 2026 to prepare their respective “IR District Development Plan” as required under the enabling framework, with the actual application phase commencing in December that year.
GGRAsia had reported in March – based on multiple sources, most of them asking not to be named – that the new application process proper might start in 2026.
According to information reviewed by GGRAsia’s Japan correspondent, via the Hokkaido Shimbun reporting, the Japanese government would start gathering public comments regarding a“cabinet order setting the IR application period” from this August to the end of this year. That would follow a scheduled July election for the the House of Councillors, the lower chamber of Japan’s parliament.
Only one Japan IR – the JPY1.27-trillion (US$8.83-billion currently) MGM Osaka being developed at Yumeshima in Osaka – has so far been approved by the nation’s authorities. Its main promoters, MGM Resorts International – parent of Macau casino operator MGM China Holdings Ltd – and Japan’s Orix Corp, are targeting a 2030 launch date. Japan’s enabling framework has provision for up to three licences being issued.
