Barriere targets Japanese IR in Wakayama

Groupe Lucien Barriere firmly stated its interest in a Japanese IR in Wakayama by opening an office in the city and meeting with the Governor.

Japan.- The Japanese casino industry is soon to launch and many international operators want a piece of the pie. That’s why Groupe Lucien Barriere has made a move towards a Japanese IR in Wakayama, which is its main target.

The international operator decided to open its only Japanese office in Wakayama and met with Governor Yoshinobu Nisaka. Furthermore, it brought official brand ambassador Jean Reno for a tour.

Company executives Alexandre Desseigne-Barrière and Jonathan Strock explained the company studied the market thoroughly. They said they travelled Japan from north to south, but chose to develop their Japanese IR in Wakayama’s Marina City.

The executives explained they seek to target local companies through the office. That way, they want to get them involved with the project.

According to Mr Strock, the city has a good chance to land one of the licences. That’s why they decided to aim their efforts for a Japanese IR at Wakayama.

Wakayama government’s push

The casino industry has yet to arrive in Japan as the government finishes the details on how to issue licences, but some regional governments are already getting ready for it. While many remain reluctant or are still assessing whether they’ll bid for an integrated resort (IR) the Wakayama prefecture already revealed that it plans to open its own venue in 2024, should it score a permit.

The government is confident it will be one of the three chosen to host the first IRs in the country after being the only one, besides Osaka and Nagasaki prefectures, to voice their interest in the segment on the earlier stages. That’s why it has revealed further details, like the scheduled opening date or its location, near the Kansai International Airport in the Wakayama Marina City.