Nagasaki's Bid for Integrated Resort Rejected by Government

Nagasaki Prefecture's dream of becoming the home to one of Japan's integrated resorts has hit a major roadblock. The central government, specifically the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism, has refused to give the green light to their proposal. The government's main concern revolves around doubts about the project's financial viability as presented by Nagasaki.

The key issue seems to be the lack of commitment and clarity in the financing plan outlined by Nagasaki. Normally, such plans should convince government officials to proceed with the project. However, in this case, the panel assessing the proposal remains uncertain about whether the project can move forward due to fears of insufficient funds. It's not only the funding that's causing concern; the panel is also skeptical about the companies selected to operate the resort.

Another worry is how the profits from the operational casino resort would be distributed among numerous investors. With many stakeholders eager to recover their investments, there's a risk that important considerations, such as addressing the negative impact of casinos, could be overlooked.

Nagasaki still has an opportunity to revise its bid. However, attracting the right investors and securing stronger commitments will be a challenging task. Meanwhile, international companies with experience and ample resources may see this setback as an opportunity to make a stronger push into the Japanese market.

In the midst of this development, Osaka continues to make steady progress with its integrated resort construction and is on track to meet its deadlines.