The governor of Japan’s Nagasaki prefecture has acknowledged discussion in the Omura city community regarding an integrated resort (IR) with casino.
That is according to a report in a local media outlet of a Tuesday question-and-answer session at a prefectural assembly plenary meeting.
Last month it emerged that a business group in Omura (pictured), a city in the eastern portion of the prefecture, had expressed interest in an IR concept, according to Nippon Television and other reports.
Omura itself doesn’t qualify to apply to the national government directly to have an IR. Only prefectures and “ordinance-level” cities can do so. Nagasaki applied in the first round, but learned in December 2023 it had not been successful.
On Tuesday, Television Nagasaki reported that the prefecture’s governor, Ken Hirata, had replied to a prefectural assembly member from Omura city on how to deal with the IR topic. “At first, Omura city and the business community there have to discuss whether they want to have an IR and understand the meaning of having one,” Mr Hirata said.
He added: “According to the necessity, the prefecture can provide to Omura city the knowledge regarding IR which it has developed through the previous application process and the information it can get through the network with the central government and related companies.”
Per the May report, a body called the “Omura Bay Green IR Feasibility Study Promotion Council” will be established in Omura city in August, with Hiroshi Sonoda, the city’s mayor, serving as an advisor.
By the end of calendar-year 2026, the council will make a suggestion on the IR application topic to the city and the prefecture.
The next IR application window of the national government is between May 6, 2027 and November 5, 2027.
The single successful candidate from Japan’s first round was Osaka prefecture and city. It is building with commercial partners MGM Resorts International and Orix Corp, the JPY1.51-trillion (US$9.49-billion currently) MGM Osaka, due to open in 2030.
