Inside Asian Gaming

IAG JAPAN FEB 2021 48 JAPAN IR while Wakayama would feature a resort-type IR. Some say they would be too close, but it’s possible to compartmentalize and I believe we can anticipate a synergistic effect with two IRs so close.” This response clearly assumes that the national government will focus on the contents and concept of the IR facility in regional selection without considering the regional characteristics. Yet another interested party expressed a different opinion. “The national government wants the effects of IR to infiltrate the entire country, so it would be better to spread them out. That’s what the national government is hoping for. Two facilities in Kansai would be tricky. “One of the major goals is regional revitalization so it’s likely either Wakayama or Nagasaki will be selected, but common sense tells us that large-scale locations will be Yokohama in the West and Osaka in the East. In order to maintain balance, it only makes sense that the third location would be Nagasaki in Kyushu.” TROUBLE IN OSAKA? An Osaka official contacted by IAG noted that there is now more to this story than simply Osaka v Wakayama, with COVID-19 having impacted even those operators once considered a sure thing in Japan. “Osaka has been leading the IR race from the beginning and it was even the most popular among Picking the winners in Japan’s IR race has become more difficult than ever. 日本型IRレースの勝者を当てることは意外に難題