Nagasaki: anti-IR group collected protest signatures
An anti-IR group has collected 10,416 signatures against the construction of an integrated resort in Nagasaki.
Japan.- The Nagasaki IR project development continues to provoke criticism among residents. A week after a group dubbed the Citizen’s Association to Think About the Casino Issue criticised the lack of information on Nagasaki’s bid, a new group has presented a petition to the prefectural government.
The Stop Casino! Prefectural Citizens Network collected 10,416 signatures from those who oppose an integrated resort.
Nagasaki’s prefectural government has advanced into the second stage of its process to choose a partner for its bid for one of Japan’s planned three IR licences.
Oshidori International Holdings, Casinos Austria International and Niki Chau Fwu Group have entered the second stage, in which each company will have to show its business strategies and plans to tackle gambling addiction issues.
The prefecture will make a submission by 2022 in its bid for permission to develop an Integrated Resort.
The successful IR partner will have to pay JPY158m (US$1.5m) for the Request for proposal process and JPY10m (US$92,000) for a background check.
Although there are groups against the IR project, they are weaker than in Yokohama, where many candidates for the upcoming Mayoral election are opposed to its IR bid.
The ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) may not support Yokohama’s current pro-IR mayor Fumiko Hayashi for a fourth term. Instead, it could put opt for National Public Safety Commission chairman Hachiro Okonogi, who has spoken against the current IR plans.
It is unknown if Fumiko Hayashi will quietly move aside or if she will run as a pro-IR candidate anyway, perhaps with the support of the Yokohama Chamber of Commerce & Industry.
