The government is set to approve a plan by Osaka Prefecture and the city of Osaka to open what will be Japan's first casino resort in 2029, government sources said Wednesday.
The development comes as travel restrictions introduced during the coronavirus pandemic are removed, leading some local governments to reassess the idea of attracting tourists to a so-called integrated resort, or IR, comprised of a large hotel, conference rooms and gambling areas.
The central government will hold a task force meeting as early as Friday, where Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and relevant ministers are expected to approve the Osaka IR plan, the sources said.