Tokyo, unlikely to push for an IR licence

The government of the Japanese prefecture will most likely sit out of the bidding process for the first three licences in the country.

Japan.- The casino industry will land in Japan soon but it’s still uncertain which cities will push to host the first integrated resorts (IRs) in the archipelago. However, a recent announcement by the authorities in Tokyo has made it highly unlikely that the capital prefecture will push for one of the starting three.

The government released new details about its Tsukiji development plan on Wednesday and announced it is scheduled to open some time in the 2040s, making it clear that they won’t push for an initial IR. Furthermore, they disclosed that the development will focus on MICE facilities, hotels, and restaurants.

According to Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike – as quoted by local media – the development wouldn’t even include a casino. Moreover, the potential plans to develop yet another project elsewhere in Tokyo seem to have been ditched as well, taking into account the focus on MICE facilities at the Tsukiji project.