Akihabara News (Tokyo) — With the deadline for licensing applications coming at the end of the month, the Wakayama Prefectural Assembly must make its final decision on whether or not to go forward with the casino resort construction plans.
The decision on the Integrated Resort (IR) will be made by the assembly in an extraordinary session to be held from April 14 to 20.
Reiko Mori, chairman of the assembly, stated that “the IR is an important matter with pros and cons. Because of the keen interest of the citizens of the prefecture, I would like it to be discussed rigorously.”
The primary point of contention is the financing plan of the consortium led by the Canada-based Clairvest Group, which many observers believe to be lacking in credibility.
For his part, Wakayama Governor Yoshinobu Nisaka continues to strongly urge approval.
At his press conference on April 6, he was even more insistent than usual, declaring that “if the prefectural assembly were to crush the plan at this stage, it would be a huge matter. I absolutely want them to vote for the future of Wakayama.”
He added, ”It is my responsibility to get approval from the national government, but if it is cast away now, there’s no chance at all.”
Nisaka says that he is not concerned about the soundness of the financial plan that the consortium has put forward.
The Wakayama City Council gave its consent to the project on March 30. The approval of the prefectural assembly is the last hurdle remaining before the prefectural government would submit its licensing application.
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