Naoya Haraikawa, a Japanese official who led Japan's efforts on integrated resort (IR) policies and regulations, has been appointed the head of the Japan Tourism Organization.

Mr. Haraikawa (file photo) worked at Japan's now-disbanded Office for the Promotion of the Integrated Resort System from July 2018 to July 2020, and also oversaw the work of Japan's Tourism Authority on rules and regulations for the legalization of casino complexes in Japan.

According to GGRAsia's Japan correspondent, he also led a team of Japan Tourism Agency evaluating IR district development plans in Osaka City, Prefecture and Nagasaki Prefecture from June 2022 to July last year.

Haraikawa, who made a public appearance in Macau on an MGS entertainment show in 2018, promised that Japan would have some of the world's strictest rules on casinos.

Only two applications were filed in the first round of applications for regions interested in holding IR, namely the metropolitan city of Osaka. MGM Resorts International, the parent company of Macau operator MGM China Holdings, and MGM Osaka, a partnership between Japan's Orix Corporation, are expected to open in 2030.

No date for new local government applications allowed under national IR laws has been announced at this time.

Casino resorts have been touted as routes to promote the economic development of Japan's strongholds and increase the number of foreign tourists. Japan aims to attract 60 million tourists a year by 2030.

Tokyo Elections and IR Prospects

In other parts of the country, Tokyo's gubernatorial election was held on Sunday, which has long been the subject of speculation in the casino industry as a major venue for IR, despite being already a major tourist destination.

Yuriko Koike, the incumbent governor, won with a majority of the vote with 60.62 percent of the vote, according to correspondent Gracia.

Before the election, Prime Minister Koike said there were "benefits and concerns about IR policies" in response to a policy survey mentioning IR topics.

She said: "The main benefits include economic growth and contributions to international tourism, but gambling addiction can be dangerous."

She added: "The Tokyo government will need a research budget for IR policy." 파워볼사이트

George Cocurio, managing director of Bay City Ventures, a Japan-based industry consultancy close to the country's casino liberalization process, told GGRAsia after the election in the Japanese capital on Sunday: "Japan's action is very relevant to the national interest and therefore will continue to be a holding pattern," he said of whether Japan can pursue IR.