Osaka asked to submit more documents to support IR proposal

Mayor Ichiro Matsui says national authorities have requested documents detailing how Osaka will resolve certain issues with its IR proposal.

Japan.- Osaka mayor Ichiro Matsui says the prefecture has been asked to submit a series of documents detailing how it will resolve issues around its bid to host an integrated resort. He didn’t clarify what the issues were, but in July, former members of the Osaka city council claimed the IR bid violated Japan’s Local Government Finance Act, which aims to curb excessive public spending.

The group said the city’s payment of JPY79bn (US$576m) for soil improvement works at the site for the proposed integrated resort was illegal. Anti-IR groups have attempted to force a referendum on the IR bid, but the prefectural assembly rejected the call.

MGM Resorts International and ORIX (MGM-Orix) have been selected as Osaka’s IR partner. The consortium proposes to invest JPY1tn (US$9.1bn). A draft ordinance containing countermeasures against gambling addiction has been approved for discussion by the prefectural assembly.

The draft stipulates that authorities will form an “expert panel” on gambling addiction and a special fund to help the prefecture promote safer gambling.

The period for IR applications in Japan closed in April with only Osaka and Nagasaki submitting bids.