Narutaka Ito, mayor of Kuwana City, Japan, has inquired about pursuing an integrated resort (IR) in the city, located in Mie Prefecture. Ito told the local Nihon Keizai Shimbun newspaper he’s asked prefecture officials to investigate the possibility of attracting an IR to reap the potential financial benefits.
Ito reportedly decided to look into a bid after Katsuyuki Ichimi, a former senior official at the Japanese transport ministry, was elected governor of the prefecture in September. Ichimi’s predecessor did not favor an IR, but the new governor is open to considering it, saying, “It is important to take the opinions of the city and residents in consideration. There are both positive and negative sides to having an IR.”
Located in the Kansai region of Japan’s main island Honshu, Kuwana City has a population of about 145,000. GGRAsia called it “the second modest-size Japanese community to be identified in the past month as being interested in late entry” to the IR race.
The city’s chances of qualifying at this late stage are “remote,” according to Asia Gaming Brief,. Three existing candidate cities—Osaka, Wakayama and Nagasaki—are all well along in the process. All have chosen their operator partners. And all are working on development plans, which must be presented to the central government in Tokyo next year. The deadline for applicants is April 28, 2022.
At present, Osaka is considered the frontrunner, having partnered with MGM Resorts and Orix Corp. in that vicinity. Wakayama’s consortium is led by Canadian-based Clairvest Neem Ventures, a group that also includes Caesars Entertainment. Nagasaki has teamed with Casinos Austria. All could be selected, as three IR operators may be chosen in the first phase of the new industry.
In late October, Shinjo City, Yamagata Prefecture, was also said to be considering an IR bid.
In related news, an anti-casino group in Wakayama says it has enough petition signatures—more than 8,000—to have a referendum on an IR there.
