Chiba city mayor Toshihito Kumagai has emphasized the city’s stance on an IR bid was not “a given” at a press conference on 25 July.
As reported by The Nikkei, when asked about the request for concepts and relevant information from companies interested in participating in IR, which is to begin next month, he responded, “This is the result of establishing the necessary processes and careful considerations,”indicating that the final decision for the possibility of a bid will be based on this request.
The city will conduct individual hearings from November to confirm the intentions of the companies and organizations who have submitted information directly, and plans to publish the results of its investigations within the 2019 fiscal year.
Mayor Kumagai added, “We will decide whether to proceed with a bid based on the individual hearings … we will listen to the opinions of the citizens before making any decisions.”
In another press conference on the same day, Chiba Governor Kensaku Morita said, “An issue like this requires local consensus. At the prefectural level, we plan to conduct the necessary discussions and respond appropriately to any specific concerns of our residents.”
