Tomakomai City’s Citizens Against Casino Bid Group held an assembly in the city over the weekend that saw Professor Aki Aneha give a speech emphasizing the negative aspects of casinos to an audience of 120 attendees.
The group revealed it has collected approximately 20,000 signatures (60% of whom live in the city) in opposition to an IR bid in Tomakomai City, Hokkaido, submitting it to the city. Reasons for opposing an IR included, “We don’t need a property built on the misfortune of others” and “The children don’t need a casino in their future.”
Masahiko Shinohara, honorary professor at Tomakomai Komazawa University and the man who submitted the petition to the city, explained that his opposition is due to problem gambling concerns. Deputy Mayor Isao Fukuhara said, “We plan to take careful measures regarding these concerns.”
Meanwhile, four local economic groups in favor of promoting an IR bid jointly announced an “Emergency call for support for an IR bid” on 21 October, encouraging Governor Naomichi Suzuki to make a decision soon.
The Tomakomai City Council in Hokkaido held an extraordinary assembly on 28 October where a supplementary budget for the month of October 2019, including JPY18 million for IR bid-related expenses, was passed with majority vote.
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