Realizing an IR bid for Hokkaido will bring about an estimated consultancy fee of JPY450 million for items such as an implementation policy, the Hokkaido Shimbun reports.
If Governor Naomichi Suzuki makes a positive decision relating to an IR bid, a budget plan will be submitted at the 4th Regular Hokkaido Assembly scheduled for 26 November. Hokkaido was considering submitting a budget of JPY200 million at the 2nd regular assembly, but this was postponed in the absence of the governor’s decision. The governor is likely to make a decision during the 4th assembly. If the governor does not make a decision, the budget will again be postponed.
At the city council of Tomakomai city, which remains the priority candidate site, a supplementary budget of JPY 18 million has been set aside for the cost of an environmental impact assessment of the potential IR site.
On 12 November, the Hokkaido Council Special Committee forecast that the environmental impact assessment surrounding an IR facility would normally take around three years.
