In Japan and newly-elected Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga (pictured) has reportedly reiterated his support for the plan to license an inaugural trio of integrated casino resorts so as to help boost the economies of host communities.

According to a report from GGRAsia, the 71-year-old Liberal Democratic Party stalwart replaced predecessor Shinzo Abe last month and he used a Wednesday session of the nation’s House of Representatives to repeat his backing for the construction of three Las Vegas-style developments complete with multiple hotels, exhibition facilities and large casinos. The source detailed that this official advocacy came a little over three weeks after Japan finally published its ‘Basic Policy’ document to lay out the fundamental criteria for those cities and regions hoping to bag one of the coming licenses.

Project perpetuation:

Suga reportedly told the assembled legislators that licensing a trio of integrated casino resorts would also serve as an important step in helping Japan to increase its attractiveness to foreign tourists. As such and the Yuzawa native purportedly explained that his administration intends to continue pursuing legislation ratified a little over two years ago in hopes of being able to inaugurate the nation’s first resort casino by the beginning of 2026.

Suga reportedly declared…

“Casinos are there in 130 countries and regions. It is planned that Japan’s integrated casino resorts are to have international exhibition facilities, convention facilities and large hotels to entertain whole families.”

Inconvenient interruptions:

Finally, GGRAsia reported that Japan’s ‘Basic Policy’ document had originally been set for publication last January but that this unveiling was twice delayed owing to bribery allegations and the subsequent arrival of the coronavirus pandemic. These hold-ups purportedly mean that candidate communities including the likes of Osaka, Yokohama, Sasebo and Wakayama Prefecture will now have until July of 2022 to lodge their formal bids with a final selection not expected before the beginning of the following year.