Nagasaki Prefecture and Sasebo City in Japan may launch a request-for-concept period for integrated resort partners by fall. So says prefectural official Shinichi Yoshida, who also told GGRAsia the prefecture has not committed itself to hosting an IR, a process that would require that it apply for consideration to the national government.
Despite its indecision, Nagasaki is going ahead with preparatory work, said Yoshida, policy director-general at the Integrated Resort Promotion Office of Nagasaki Prefectural Government Planning and Development Department.
“The Japan government will show its basic IR policy later than this summer. We cannot say exactly the schedule,” for opening a resort in Nagasaki, he said. If the project is a go, the RFC process would tentatively start “in the autumn,” said Yoshida.
“Osaka Prefecture and Osaka City want to open an IR before the 2025 World Expo. So Osaka, Wakayama and Nagasaki are faster in preparation for an IR than other cities: Hokkaido, Tokyo or Yokohama,” he added. “Nagasaki prefecture is preparing for action not later than Osaka City. So maybe the IR opening time in Nagasaki is similar to Osaka’s.”
Nagasaki Governor Hodo Nakamura has said there is general public support for the idea of a casino resort as a way to grow tourism and boost the local economy. Yoshida agrees.
“For residents, it is expected to improve their quality of life, and transport access. Companies can create global entertainment at an IR, and shopping malls, etc. Thus, we think 7.4 million visitors can be attracted to Nagasaki prefecture annually,” if the region is selected for an IR, he said.
In the Nagasaki Prefecture Assembly and Sasebo City Council, “almost 90 percent” of the members agree on hosting an IR locally, said Yoshida. With no local pushback, the IR operator “can function with peace of mind,” Yoshida said.
It’s generally agreed that an IR would be built at the Huis Ten Bosch facility, a Dutch-themed amusement park in Sasebo. Yoshida said Sasebo city planned to buy the plot, and “sell it to the potential IR investor,” instead of expecting the investor to lease the land from the Huis Ten Bosch operator. This would guarantee “fairness” for the casino operator, said the Nagasaki official.
“But in future, if the IR operator wants to extend its site there, it could negotiate with the Huis Ten Bosch operator,” said Yoshida.
Meanwhile, the national government continues to build the foundation for the upcoming IR industry. It is in the process of setting up a casino administration committee that will be in charge of casino regulations, safety measures and probity. The appointment of the five most senior permanent officials of the casino administration committee will be subject to approval by Japan’s parliament during an extraordinary session in the autumn.
