Is Hokkaido finally making a declaration to enter the fray?
The Nikkei is reporting that Hokkaido Governor Naomichi Suzuki attended a special budget committee meeting on 2 October 2019 and decided to make a decision “within the year” on whether to embark on an IR bid. To date, the only official comments from the prefecture are that it will decide when the time is right, so this announcement is considered a major step forward.
Tomakomai city in Hokkaido is the key candidate site for an IR bid, but a final decision has not yet been made. Hokkaido will make a final decision based on a citizens’ survey that will run until November, among other factors.
A maximum of three IR facilities will be approved, likely in 2020.
