Japanese Government Approves Osaka Plan

The Japanese government has approved the nation’s first integrated resort plan, equipped with a casino – to be located in Osaka.

An expert panel selected to evaluate the proposal from Osaka City and the prefectural governments found the application to have met all requirements.

The Osaka IR is set to be developed by a consortium between MGM Resorts International and ORIX-Corp, costing an estimated $9bn and expected to open in 2029. It is expected to include a casino, conference centre, hotel, theatre and exhibition hall.

Osaka also beat out the only other remaining city hoping for an IR, Nagasaki, which is expected to have its process delayed by several months.

The Osaka resort is set to be developed on Yumeshima Island and attract around 20 million guests and $3.9bn in revenue yearly, with domestic tourism to account for up to 70% of visitation in the years following the opening.