Japan: reactions to IR policy delay

Nagasaki prefecture said that for now there is “no change” in the timetable regarding its interest in hosting a casino resort.

Japan.- The government’s decision to postpone basic policy for developing casino resorts in the country has been met with disappointment by lawmakers in the cities interested in securing an IR license.

Osaka Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura asked the national government not to engage in an extended delay before issuing its IR Basic Plan and hopes that the decision won’t impact its IR plans.

“I would like to ask the country not to push the schedule off until later. I do not think that the schedule and content of Osaka’s IR bid will be affected,” he said.

According to GGRAsia, Nagasaki prefecture said that for now there is “no change” in the timetable regarding its interest in hosting a “Nagasaki-Kyushu” casino resort, despite what national government said about the delay in the publication of its basic policy.

The policy was expected to be published this month but it has been postponed until February because of the recent 500.com bribery case.

Although national government confirmed its support for IR development, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan; the Democratic party for the People; the Japanese Communist Party; and the Social Democratic Party are pushing a law to repeal the IR Implementation Act as well as the IR Promotion Act.