Years of delay to plans for Japan’s first casino resort won’t have an adverse effect on the project in the long run, Osaka Gov. Hirofumi Yoshimura said, as the facility looked set to open in 2030.
"There would have been a lot of synergy if it could have opened at the same time as the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo,” Yoshimura said in an interview Monday. "But a time lag of five years won’t have much effect on the project itself.”
The Osaka plan for a so-called integrated resort featuring hotels, entertainment and conference centers as well as a casino, gained government approval in April. Japan will compete with Asian neighbors like Singapore, Macau and South Korea for customers as it seeks to further bolster its tourism industry.