Japan’s Wakayama would support a private-sector push for an IR: governor

The governor of Japan’s Wakayama prefecture says it would support any private-sector push to have an integrated resort (IR) with casino in that community. Izumi Miyazaki made the comments at a regular press briefing on Wednesday. Wakayama prefecture, on the south-central coast of Japan’s main island of Honshu, had been identified by the national authorities as far back as 2019 as interested in hosting an IR, to be located at Wakayama City (pictured) . But in April 2022, the prefectural assembly rejected the idea, ahead of a deadline that month for a first round of formal applications to the national government. In December last year, Mr Miyazaki said he expected his community to sit out the next round of applications for the right to host a casino resort – which will start on May 6, 2027 and run until November 5, 2027 – on the basis that the timeline was “too tight”. The governor’s latest comments came in the context of an August 21 announcement that ‘fav hospitality group’ – a unit of Tokyo-listed real estate developer Kasumigaseki Capital Co Ltd – had acquired 100 percent of the shares of Wakayama Marina City Co Ltd. Wakayama Marina City was the proposed site for an IR when the prefecture was previously pursuing the possibility of hosting one. The governor stated in his Wednesday comments, as reviewed by GGRAsia’s Japan correspondent: “The prefecture has always had high hopes for Wakayama Marina City to be a major resort serving as the hub of tourism promotion.” Mr Miyazaki added: “The prefecture has high expectations for Kasumigaseki Capital to take the lead to develop it further. The prefecture and Wakayama city together are willing to support Kasumigaseki Capital to do that.” The governor further noted: “If Kasumigaseki Capital wishes to have an IR in Wakayama Marina City, the prefecture should cooperate to go ahead with it.” Under Japan’s Integrated Resort Act, prefectures and ‘ordinance-level’ cities are required to select a casino operator and other private-sector partners before submitting a request to the national government to host an IR.