Abe to move forward with IRs

The Japanese Prime Minister says he expects IR developments to help Japan’s tourism industry bounce back faster.

Japan.- Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has said his government is ready to move forward with the process of developing integrated resorts (IRs).

During his speech at the House of Representatives Budget Committee, the Prime Minister expressed his intention to continue with the IR process in order to assist the recovery of Japan’s tourism industry, which has been hit heavily by the Covid-19 crisis and related travel bans.

He said: “Tourism is once again recovering. IRs will support our efforts to become an advanced tourism nation.”

Abe did not pinpoint when or how the process would continue.

He limited himself to say that: “Considering various issues that may arise, the necessary preparations will carefully proceed.”

However, the Minister for Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Kazuyoshi Akabane, said IRs should open in the latter half of the decade.

The process to select a private operator for Osaka’s IR was recently put back by a further six months.

The Wakayama prefectural government also postponed the decision on whether to grant its project to Suncity and Clairvest.