At the second stage, the IR bidders will present business strategies and proposals for tackling gambling addiction issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Japan.- Nagasaki\u2019s prefectural government is advancing into the second stage of its process to choose a partner for its bid for one of\u00a0Japan\u2019s planned three licences<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Oshidori International Holdings<\/strong>,\u00a0Casinos Austria International<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0Niki Chau Fwu Group\u00a0<\/strong>have entered the second stage, in which each company will have to show its business strategies and plans to tackle gambling addiction issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Nagasaki is due to\u00a0select its final candidate<\/strong>\u00a0in August. The prefecture will then make a submission by 2022 in its bid for permission to develop an Integrated Resort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The successful <\/strong>IR partner will have to pay JPY158m (US$1.5m)<\/a> for the Request for proposal process and JPY10m (US$92,000) for a background check.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A group dubbed the Citizen\u2019s Association to Think About the Casino Issue <\/strong>has criticised the lack of information regarding Nagasaki\u2019s bid to develop an integrated resort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The anti-IR group<\/a> had asked for a summary of the meeting in which Nagasaki\u2019s prefectural government<\/strong> whittled down five initial contenders<\/strong> to three operators. However, the request was rejected by the prefecture<\/strong>, which argued that it could harm the business interests of the companies involved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The authorities also said revealing the summary could affect the neutrality<\/strong> of the selection process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Nagasaki still seems like the most prepared city to win one of the three licences as the prefecture launched a series of new initiatives<\/a> to prepare for a possible IR development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In May, the Kyushu Regional Strategy Council (KRSC)<\/strong>, composed of <\/strong>the governors of Kyushu prefectures and Yamaguchi prefecture as well as major regional economic groups, held a meeting to launch the Kyushu Addiction Measures Network Council<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The main goal of the council is to better deal with addiction issues <\/strong>and to handle concerns raised by IR opponents<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Last year, the prefecture announced the establishment of a new body<\/a> to hold events and seminars for local businesses<\/strong> and create foundational strategies to promote effective business networking opportunities.<\/p>\n\n\n\nAnti-IR groups criticise the process selection<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n