Tokyo to commission new IR research

The Bureau of Port and Harbor of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government has announced a public tender for an advisory firm to research the economic and social impacts of building an IR in Japan’s capital city.

Although this is the fifth such study to be commissioned by the Bureau of Port and Harbor, it is the first since the IR Implementation Act became law. Also, the previous studies focused on the casino industry outside of Japan, while this one appears to be aimed more specifically at the local context.

The result of the bidding process is expected to be released on October 10.

The previous studies, going back to 2014, were compiled by Deloitte Tohmatsu, Japan Management Systems, KPMG Azsa, and the JMA Research Institute respectively.

It remains unclear if Tokyo intends to make a bid for one of the three IR licenses to be available in the first round of construction. There has long been talk of the possibility of locating an IR at Odaiba or perhaps Tsukiji. Indeed, former Tokyo Governor Shintaro Ishihara’s scheme to build a waterfront casino played a key role in launching the political process that led to the passage of the recent IR legislation.

At minimum, the commissioning of a fifth study suggests that the Tokyo Metropolitan Government is keeping its options open.

 

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