Japan’s national government has taken a formal step toward reopening competition for integrated resorts with casino gaming, publishing a draft Cabinet order that lays out a provisional schedule for the next application phase. The document signals that local governments may again seek approval to host large-scale resort complexes after a lengthy pause following the first licensing process.

Application Process and Eligible Regions

Under the draft order, the application window would run for six months, beginning on May 6, 2027 and closing on November 5, 2027. The framework was released by the Japan Tourism Agency, which will coordinate the application process and operates under the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. Before the schedule becomes final, the government has opened a public comment period that started on December 17 and is set to continue until January 16 of the following year.

The Cabinet order is issued pursuant to the Integrated Resorts Act, the 2018 legislation that partially liberalized casino gaming in Japan as part of a broader tourism and regional development strategy. Once adopted, the order will serve as the regulatory basis for accepting new submissions from eligible local authorities.

Prefectures and ordinance-designated cities will be able to submit their own IR District Development Plans for review by national authorities during the proposed window. Media coverage within Japan has already pointed to Hokkaido and Nagasaki prefectures as potential applicants once the process reopens.

Hokkaido’s governor, Naomich Suzuki, said in late November that preparations should continue even before the central government confirmed specific dates, indicating that local planning efforts are already underway. Nagasaki, meanwhile, brings experience from the initial licensing round, although its earlier proposal was ultimately rejected.

That first round, which was disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic, concluded in December 2023. Only one project emerged with national approval: the MGM Osaka development, led by MGM Resorts International and its local partner Orix. The Osaka resort is currently under construction and is scheduled to open in 2030.

Although the original framework allowed for up to three IR licenses nationwide, Osaka remains the sole approved site to date. As a result, the government retains the ability to authorize up to two additional developments under a second application round.

Policy Goals and Official Statements

Senior officials have framed the reopening of the process as part of a wider push to strengthen Japan’s appeal as a destination for longer stays. As reported by Asia Gaming Brief, in late October, the country’s new prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, directed her incoming transport minister to “promote the development of IRs and realise attractive stay-type tourism which is highly competitive in the international market”.

The Japan Tourism Agency has echoed that position. Its commissioner, Shigeki Murata, described the policy intent in comments released alongside the draft order: “The development and promotion of IRs will contribute to the promotion of stay-based tourism. This is an important measure toward realizing a tourism-oriented nation.”

Nagasaki’s earlier bid was turned down by national authorities because of concerns over funding certainty and limited experience in managing large-scale integrated resorts. Those factors are likely to remain central to evaluations in the next round, given the government’s emphasis on financial stability and operational capability.

Industry response and Hard Rock’s position

The confirmation of a new application timetable has also drawn responses from international casino operators that have monitored Japan’s market over the past decade. US-based Hard Rock International reaffirmed its interest in the country following publication of the draft order.

Ado Machida, President of Hard Rock Japan, welcomed the announcement and reiterated the company’s long-term focus on the market. “We at Hard Rock are very pleased that a new round of national licenses is being conducted,” Machida said. “We have remained committed to Japan throughout COVID in order to build a world-class premier destination resort for the Japanese market, with the ever-increasing number of international travelers.”

Hard Rock previously identified Hokkaido as its preferred location and opened an office in Tomakomai in 2018 while preparing an earlier bid. The company did not formally withdraw from Hokkaido even after the prefecture decided in 2019 not to pursue an IR license due to environmental considerations.

Since Osaka secured the only license awarded so far in 2021, officials in Hokkaido have renewed discussions around integrated resort development as a potential tool for economic stimulation and tourism growth. With the government now signaling a clear timeline for new applications, attention is likely to intensify around which regions and partners will seek to move forward when the window opens in 2027.