Inside Asian Gaming

IAG JAPAN MAY 2020 74 T he theme park Huis Ten Bosch is located in Sasebo City, Nagasaki Prefecture, and attracts millions of visitors each year. This is the location Nagasaki has in mind for its IR bid. Unlike the sprawling metropolises of Osaka and Yokohama, Nagasaki is considered among the leading contenders to win what is likely to be a single regional IR license to be issued by the national government in 2021. While the national government’s basic policy is facing delays due to IR-related scandals and the COVID-19 pandemic, Nagasaki announced its IR Basic Concept for Kyushu/Nagasaki toward the beginning of April. The total number of visitors is estimated to be 6.9 million to 9.3 million annually with a construction cost of between JPY 350 billion (US$3.25 billion) to JPY 460 billion (US$4.27 billion). IAG took this opportunity to interview the Nagasaki Prefecture Planning Division’s IR Promotion Assistant Sectional Chief, Masahiko Kunihiro, about Nagasaki’s potential. Shintaro Kamimura: Why is Nagasaki prefecture well-suited to developing an IR? Masahiko Kunihiro: There are three main points. First of all, the candidate site is a scenic location that faces Omura Bay with many beautiful islands. These can be destinations for short cruises and overnight excursions, departing from the candidate site. In addition, Kyushu, especially Nagasaki, has a long history of being open to people from a variety of countries and of rich tourism resources. There are two World Heritage Sites in Nagasaki prefecture, and the region has a unique food culture, making it an attractive destination. A plot of land at Dutch-inspired theme park Huis Ten Bosch has been set aside for a Nagasaki IR. 長崎IRの候補地に隣接する、オランダの街並みを再現したテーマパーク「ハウステンボス」は観光地としての人気が高い JAPAN