Nagasaki approves casino resort plan as Wakayama opts not to press ahead

The Nagasaki prefectural government will submit the plan to the central government by the deadline on April 28. The project calls for procuring funds totaling ¥438.3 billion to cover IR construction and other necessary costs.

The prefectural government hopes to open the resort in the city of Sasebo around autumn 2027, expecting it to attract 6.73 million visitors and earn ¥271.6 billion of revenue in fiscal 2031, beginning in April of that year.

Meanwhile, on the same day, the prefectural assembly of Wakayama rejected a bill to submit its IR development plan to the state. Twenty-two members of the assembly voted against the bill, with some of them saying that the prefecture’s fundraising plan is unclear, while 18 members voted for it.

Wakayama Gov. Yoshinobu Nisaka told reporters that the rejection by the assembly is “extremely regrettable.” Noting, however, that the central government may solicit bids to host an IR again, Nisaka said, “We can give it another try if the new opportunity comes because an IR is necessary for spurring regional revitalization.”

The Wakayama government’s botched plan called for building an IR including a casino on Marina City, an artificial island in the city of Wakayama, the capital of the prefecture, at a cost of some ¥470 billion. The prefecture aimed to launch operations of the IR around autumn 2027.

Elsewhere in Japan, Osaka Prefecture and the city of Osaka are slated to submit their casino-featuring IR development plan to the central government soon. The plan has already been approved by the Osaka prefectural and city assemblies.