Hokkaido’s prospects for licensing are questionable

Harumi Takahashi, the governor of Hokkaido Prefecture in Japan, announced that she would not run for a fifth term next spring. This can deal a serious blow to the prospects of turning the prefecture into a location for a casino resort.

Her refusal to participate in elections means that a new governor will be elected next spring in Sapporo. Most likely, this will be a contest between a candidate from a conservative ruling party and a candidate from a united opposition, although there have not yet been official statements on this issue.

Thus, the forces supporting the development of an integrated resort in the region are losing power in the prefecture. It is significant that opposition parties have historically achieved better results in local elections than at the national level.

Next spring local elections will be held, which will include the election of the governor and the assembly. The conservative wing needs to win both election races in order to implement the project of a casino resort.

It was previously reported that an integrated resort could be built in Tomakomai if the Hokkaido authorities approve the initiative.

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