GGRAsia – Wakayama open to discuss IRs at next round of applications

Wakayama open to discuss IRs at next round of applications

Jul 13, 2023 Newsdesk Japan, Latest News, Top of the deck

The governor of Japan’s Wakayama prefecture, Shuhei Kishimoto, has said the prefectural government should consider the possibility of developing an integrated resort (IR) with a casino if the national government launches a second round of applications.

He made the remarks on Wednesday, during a presentation at the Kansai Press Club in Osaka city.

“When the government launches the next application window, the prefecture should think about that,” said Mr Kishimoto, according to GGRAsia’s Japan correspondent.

The Wakayama prefecture (pictured) closed in June last year the office that had coordinated its tilt at getting a casino complex. In April 2022, Wakayama’s prefectural assembly rejected the local government’s plan for an IR, citing concerns over the funding arrangements and the developer’s capability.

The Japanese national government’s deadline for prefectures to submit casino-resort proposals passed on April 28 last year, with only two applications submitted by then.

Osaka’s IR District Development Plan was approved in principle in April by the national authorities, with just under 66 percent of the available assessment points.

Nagasaki’s IR District Development Plan is still to be approved by the national authorities. The government of Nagasaki Prefecture said recently it thought there was “still a chance” its development proposal for an IR will be approved by the central government.

It is unlikely any casino resort will become operational in Japan before the end of the current decade.

In his Wednesday’s comments, the Wakayama governor suggested that from a financial standpoint, the IR business could be “quite risky”.

“In particular, we have to think about the Chinese government policy to curb people going to overseas gambling places,” Mr Kishimoto stated.

China’s amended criminal code, that outlaws anyone assisting in cross-border gambling, came into effect from March 1, 2021.

Mr Kishimoto said he had a “neutral” view regarding the possibility of developing a casino resort in the prefecture, but suggested the topic should be up for debate.

“I am thinking of letting the Wakayama people decide whether the prefecture should try to have an IR or not,” he added.