Brief news about casino in Yumeshima 2018 (from newest to oldest)

Tower building at Yumeshimashin station scheme by Osaka Metro at Osaka Expo venue

● Mainichi newspaper – Thursday, December 20


On the 20th, Osaka Metro announced a scheme for a tower building about 275m (55 stories) in height on the Yumeshima artificial island at Osaka bay, which would be a venue for the International Expo in 2025. They would extend the Chuo line and construct Yumeshima station (tentative name) with commercial facilities and hotels.


The scheme would have commercial facilities on the lower levels, offices and hotels on the medium to higher levels and restaurants on the top level. Construction of the commercial facilities was indicated before with mid-term management plans this July and was said to be several 10 billions of yen in development costs, but it even goes over 100s of billions of yen if it is a tower.



Construction is expected to make the IR attraction happen and ensure the section. Osaka Metro was just privatized in April and has a lack of large building development experience and human resources, so they do have a lot of challenges they need to work through. The director, Hideaki Kawai said this in an interview, ‘This is going to be a symbol of our new development that all of us work on.’.

Keihan Holdings, Extending the Nakanoshima line will be after the Expo in 2025

● Sankei newspaper – Friday, December 14


Yoshifumi Kato, the CEO of Keihan Holdings accepted an interview with Sankei newspaper on the 13th and indicated that it is difficult to extend the Nakanoshima line which connects from Kyoto to central Osaka (Tenmabashi – Nakanoshima) to Kujo station before the Expo 2025. The chuo line is planned to be extended to Yumeshima (Konohana ward, Osaka city) where the Expo will be held, but it is forecasted that the connection will be done after 2026.



Kato mentioned that extending the Nakanoshima line would have to be based on the needs, so basically that means that without knowing the scale of the IR including a casino and the volume of visitors in order to model profit levels, they couldn’t move forward with it.


Also, he said the extension Osaka city is talking about with how they aim to finish it off by 2024 seems impossible and he indicated it is impossible even though they would try to finish it off during the Expo as one year from 2024 wouldn’t make that much of a change.

Conference between Osaka governer and American casino major company director, looking positive in cost allocation

● Mainichi newspaper – Wednesday, December 12


Ichiro Matsui, governor of Osaka and Hirofumi Yoshimura the mayor of Osaka city who are keen on the IR attraction in Yumeshima, the artificial island along Osaka Bay had a conference with Robert Goldstein the director of Las Vegas Sands, the American major casino operator and executives on the 12th at the Osaka government establishment. Goldstein and executives showed positive ideas about cost allocation for a subway extending Osaka city indicating it would be included in their conditions when choosing an operator.


According to Osaka, the visit of the IR operator after the Expo 2025 was the first time. It is expected that operators will visit to invest on Osaka as they may potentially be chosen as one of three casinos in Japan.

Conditions on Osaka city states – 20 billion yen for railway extension should be absorbed by IR operators

● Asahi newspaper – Thursday, November 29


For the railway access preparation for commuting to the artificial island Yumeshima (Konohana ward, Osaka city) where the Osaka Expo 2025 venue is planned, Hirofumi Yoshimura the mayor of Osaka city agreed on conditions that they choose an IR operator for Yumeshima where the operator will absorb the 20 billion yen of railway extension cost.


They decided on a policy of putting their hands up for Yumeshima to be a candidate of one of three IRs in Japan this July as the IR Implement Bill was established. The place they are planning on is nestled next to the Expo venue and they are trying to open it in 2024.

Conditions of Osaka city states – 20 billion yen for railway extension should be absorbed by IR operators

● Asahi newspaper – Tuesday, November 27


As the Osaka Expo 2025 has been decided, IR operators published messages celebrating this event one after another. They all are trying to bring themselves closer to Osaka prefecture and Osaka city as they are aiming to attract an IR facility near the Expo.



On the 26th, Lawrence Ho, the chairman of Melco Resorts and Entertainment (in Hong Kong) who is an official partner for the Osaka Expo 2025 issued a comment saying ‘they are sure that the synergy of the Osaka Expo and the IR will bring the largest economic effect for the Kansai wide tourism area centered around Osaka’.


Also, another official partner, George Tanasijevich the global development executive manager for Las Vegas Sands in America said, ‘The Expo is closely related to the IR plan of what Osaka is proclaiming ’.



At the same time, Francis Kui the vice president of Galaxy Entertainment Group (Hong Kong) published a comment; ‘We agree with the theme of the Osaka Expo and how they construct social and economic systems that can be continued and the IR development in Osaka is also in line with the goal’.

Osaka prefecture and Osaka city aiming for an IR attraction and considering Virtual Reality utilization

● Yomiuri Television – Wednesday, November 14


Osaka prefecture and city who are aiming to attract an IR including a casino is considering Virtual Reality as one of the highlights.


At the conference held from 10 am on the 14th between Osaka prefecture and the city, discussions took place on businesses and what should be developed for the IR including the aims on what should be made in Yumeshima. The IR facility is expected to be built with the intention of spreading Japanese traditional culture and arts, so a simulated experience of all the tourist spots in Japan by utilizing Virtual Reality was suggested.



Osaka prefecture and the city are aiming to realize the world’s best level of growing IR, so they are compiling the basic ideas of the plans during this year and trying to open it in 2024.

Casino operator visit in Osaka = They are coorporating on the sumber festival and disaster support.

● Jiji Press – Saturday, July 28


In response to the IR with a casino with the central core Implement Bill being approved, Osaka visits by overseas operators have became more active. That is because Osaka prefecture and the city are keen to attract investors and they have cooperated with local summer festivals and have donated to affected areas of the Osaka Northern Earthquake. They are basically trying to get an understanding from locals so they can bring an IR attraction for the opening which is said to be mid 2020.



On the night of the 25th, James Murren, the chairman of the American major casino operator, MGM Resorts International was at Tenjin festival in Osaka, which is one of the three big festivals in Japan. Murren decided to put up sponsorship for the Tenjin festival and said this to the press corps. ‘Osaka is positioned perfectly as a leading candidate for an urban type IR. So, we want to be authorized to be active in Japan.’.


Also, the casino operator in Macau, Melco Resorts & Entertainment took up sponsorship of the Tenjin festival. They opened an office in April in Osaka city and donated to Osaka prefecture for the Osaka Northern Earthquake in June. Lawrence Ho, the chairman said that he wants to be deeply active and ingrained with locals and indicated that it is important to get support from the people.

IR Implementation Bill approved, Kansai business circles are welcoming and expecting they can make the Expo timing. Though, there’s a temperature difference between the three organizations.

● Sankei newspaper – Saturday, July 21


Kansai business circles who are aiming to attract an IR to the artificial island in Yumeshima in Osaka Bay are welcoming that it will be an initiator of economic activation as the IR Implement Bill was approved.


Masayoshi Matsumoto (also the chairman of Sumitomo Electric Industries) the chairman of Kansai Economic Federation made a comment on the 20th, ‘We want to work on making IR preparation in Kansai early as it is expected that it will be affected largely by an emphasis on attracting people and economic activation. Akihiro Kuroda, the representative officer of the Kansai Economic Committee (the chairman of Kokuyo) also pinned their hopes on this and said, ‘Make it at the same time as the Expo in 2025 so it’s best to open an IR by 2024 considering the economic activation of Osaka and Kansai.’.



Whereas, the Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry is putting together a policy to accept the IR attraction, but at the same time, as they have a lot of small-medium sized companies as members, they are still careful with stating their position. In an interview on the 20th, Towa Hironori, the president said that he wants them to proceed it in a good way as it influences small-medium sized companies as well and Teiichi Nishimura said that he is against the casino, but he can’t help but think how they can reduce the negatives and make it positive venture.

Considering expanding the railway to Yumeshima along Osaka Bay targeting attracting an expo and casino

● Mainichi newspaper – Friday, April 27


West Japan Railway Company incorporated are considering the expansion of the Sakurajima line to the artificial island of Yumeshima in Osaka Bay in the med-term management plan (for 2018 – 2022) published on 27th.


In Yumeshima which is a candidate venue of the International Expo 2025, attracting an IR including a casino is planned and Tatsuo Kijima mentioned at the press conference that ‘If Yumeshima becomes a base for an IR, then utilization of the Sakurajima line for transportation is important. ’.



The Sakurajima line is 4.1km long and runs between Nishikujo and Sakurajima stations with Osakakanjo line connecting to it, so it is used for going to Universal Studios Japan as well. More consideration will be made when the formation of a IR attraction becomes possible, but the cost to extend this line is preliminary calculated at being about 170 billion yen. Kijima, the CEO said that they are laying it out as a long term plan.

Reinforcing gambling addiction measurement in resort attraction

● Mainichi newspaper – Monday, February 12


Osaka prefecture and the city who are trying to attract an IR including a casino in Yumeshima on the artificial island (Konohana ward, Osaka) is going to reinforce working on the problem of gamble addiction measurements in their own unique way. They will carry out some preventive education targeting high school students and newly establish a society with a specialist to move forward with an Osaka model for measurement leading Japan in this area.


Osaka city is planning to allocate 6.19 million yen of the related budget into the original budget for 2018.

Brief news about Yumeshima Casino 2017 (from newest to oldest)

Osaka city considers extending subways with 20 billion of casino money

● Asahi newspaper – Wednesday, December 25


Regarding the subway extension in Osaka city, Osaka prefecture and the city are considering making IR groups provide 20 billion yen for infrastructure development as a condition for an IR development in the area.


For the IR attraction plan, they are asking IR operators who are the beneficiary to pay for this. However, if the attraction fails, then there’s a risk that they would have to review the plan.



Osaka prefecture and the city are planning about 3km of railway extensions for the city subway Chuo line from Cosmosquare station to Yumeshima to attract an IR in Yumeshima, the artificial island along Osaka Bay. The estimated cost is about 54 billion yen as a rough estimate as at 2014.

Trying so hard for the Osaka Expo attraction carrying out a presentation in Paris. The key is the casino.

● Asahi newspaper – Wednesday, November 15


The government proposed a detailed plan for the International Expo 2025 aiming to attract it to Osaka at the general meeting of the Bureau International des Expositions on the 15th.


The theme of the expo and what Japan proposed was ‘Designing Future Society for Our Lives’. The venue is in Yumeshima the artificial island along Osaka Bay and the plan was introduced including a video as well as setting up each country’s pavilion, hotels on water and Virtual Reality utilizing technology.



Also, they appointed presenters who are from Rwanda with experience of studying and living in Kansai area before to appeal to the attractiveness of Osaka in an effort to try and expand support from developing countries for voting.

Plans for extending the Nakanoshima line of the Keihan Electric Railway for the IR attraction

● Kansai TV – Wednesday, November 8


Osaka prefecture and city are supposedly planning to extend the Chuo subway line from Cosmosquare to Yumeshima once the IR is decided to be opened as they are reinforcing the IR.


Also, they indicated they would look to connect Yumeshima with Kujo station on the Chuo line to extend the Nakanoshima line if the attraction was decided on.

Las Vegas Sands executive interview – Potential for large scale investment for Osaka IR

● Sanken newspaper – Friday, October 6


George Tanasijevich the executive of Las Vegas Sands (CEO of Marina Bay Sands in Singapore) , on the 5th, indicated again that they are keen to take up an IR in Japan saying that ‘they want to start moving once the bid preparation (for local authorities) is ready and when there is a chance ’.


He showed how large scale investment is possible even more than Singapore’s IR which is about 5.6 billion dollars as Osaka can ensure a comparatively large property.



In addition to how Kansai has a big market including tourism, the government is aiming to attract the International Expo in 2025 to Yumeshima, so it is expected that the infrastructure development such as railways with the IR synergistic effect can move it on.


If they take it up in Osaka, they emphasized a policy where they would work hard on entertainment such as the inclusion of a large scale International conference arena and theaters as well as the casino. They showed their confidence saying that they could attract people both in Japan and from overseas with their IR with a variety of attractions.

New proposal to link directly to Yumeshima through Kujo on the Nakanoshima line targeting IR

● Mainichi newspaper – Thursday, July 27


The CEO of Keihan Electric Railway, Michio Nakano published that they are considering a plan to link Kujo station to Osaka city subway as an extension route of the Nakanoshima line (Tenmabashi – Nakanoshima).


They were planning to extend the line going through JR Nishikujo station to a new Sakurajima station on the opposite shore of Yumeshima, the artificial island along Osaka Bay, but this new plan is cheaper as the extension length is shorter, so it sounds as though this is the most powerful plan.


If the extension happens, then Yumeshima which is planned to include an IR with a casino and hold the International Expo 2025 will be linked directly with Kyoto. It’s forecasting to open around 2025 – 2030.

IR operator in Las Vegas shows desire to take up the Yumeshima plan and hold an explanatory briefing with executives in Osaka

● Sankei newspaper – Friday, July 14


Michel Weaver, the executive in charge of marketing at Wynn Resorts which develops IRs in Las Vegas, gave a press conference on the 14th in Osaka and indicated taking up the IR in Yumeshima (Konohana ward, Osaka), the artificial island along Osaka Bay as they are supposedly spending the most time on Osaka in Japan.

Additional investment for several hundred million yen to expand the venue where the Expo will be held

● Mainichi newspaper – Tuesday, June 20


Over the attraction of Osaka holding the International Expo 2025, the government started considering the expansion of the venue in Yumeshima, the artificial island from about 100 hectares to even more.


They are going to add it in the attraction plan which will be submitted to the Expo International office (BIE, head office in Paris) and targeting to dominate in the race to gain popularity as a venue.


Their quote for preparation was estimated at about 125 billion yen, so they are now considering topping up with several hundred million yen worth of investment.

Matsumoto, the CEO of Sumitomo Electric Industries selected as chairman of Kansai Economic Federation

● Asahi newspaper digital – Monday, May 29


The Kansai Economic Federation, on the 29th, at the general assembly, selected Masayoshi Matsumoto (72), the CEO of Sumitomo Electric Industries who was vice chairman before.


The new system is to focus on IR attractions including a casino as well as an International Expo which they are trying to hold in Osaka in 2025.


It’s been six years since the top position was changed for Kansai Economic Federation and it has been selected from Sumitomo Electric for the past 20 years.

IR promotion brueau established for ‘Growth and development’ instructed by governor Matsui

● Mainichi newspaper – Monday, April 3


The co-department IR Promotion Bureau of Osaka prefecture and city for IR attraction was established at the government office of Sakishima in Suminoe ward, Osaka city on the 3rd.


31 staff have been placed including 20 from the city and going forward they will work on measurement of gambling addiction and public security.

Likely winners for the casino attraction, Kanagawa and Osaka, who will be chosen? There’s also a possibility of having attractions in two places at the same time

● HARBOR BUSINESS Online – Friday, March 10


Osaka prefecture officially published the draft budget for the financial year 2017 and recorded 47.7 million yen as the budget for the IR Osaka location promotion which is twice or more compared to the previous year’s 21.36 million yen.


The budget of Yokohama city by the way is 10 million yen.

The IR economic effect, 630 billion yen a year trial calculated by Osaka for the casino and hotel operation

● Sankei newspaper – Thursday, January 19


Osaka prefecture trial calculated that the economic effect will be 1,330 billion yen in total for development if multiple facilities opened in 2030 at Yumeshima, the artificial island along Osaka Bay.


After opening, the economic effect is expected to be about 630 billion yen a year from the casino and hotel operation, so their trial calculation estimated visits from seven million foreign tourists and 15 million Japanese tourists.


The tax revenue effect of Osaka prefecture will be 250 billion yen and is estimated to make work for 70,000 employees annually.


Regarding the attraction at Yumeshima, the Kansai Economic Committee compiled the trial calculation and result that the economic effect will be about 7,600 billion yen a year.

Brief news about casino in Yumeshima 2016 (from newest to oldest)

Osaka city setup IR promotion meeting for casino attraction as a commander

● Asahi newspaper digital – Wednesday, December 14


Regarding the perspective of Casino Lifting Bill to promote preparation of IR including casino, Ichiro Matsui (the director of Japan Innovation Party), the governor of Osaka prefecture, on the 14th, announced that they are going to establish an IR Promotion Meeting with authorities on the issue in Osaka city this year.


Matsui setup the promotion meeting for IR attraction which he is the commander for within this year and indicated that he wanted to compile negotiations with IR operators and get more details about measurements for gambling addiction.


The office will be placed in the promotion head office for the second capital which Osaka prefecture and the city have set up together. They will discuss with Hirofumi Yoshimura, the Mayor and decide on a chairperson and members.

Kuroda the secondary representative chief of The Japan Committee for Economic Development showed desire for the IR attraction

● Kansai TV – Saturday, December 10


Akihiro Kuroda, the chairman of Kokuyo who is also next to be appointed as the top of the Kansai Economic Committee gave a press conference and showed his desire for an IR attraction in Osaka.


The Kansai Economic Committee announced human resources news that Akihiro Kuroda (67) from the major stationary manufacturer, Kokuyo will be appointed after the current representative chief, Shuichi Kageyama, the vice president of Mitsui Sumitomo Bank.

Yumeshima is integrated as the attraction of the Osaka Expo targeting its coexistance with a casino

● Asahi news digital – Thursday, September 22


In the afternoon on the 21st, the policy to integrate Yumeshima (Konohana ward, Osaka city), the artificial island along the bay which is about 100 hectares in area was officially decided on as the venue for the International Expo 2025.


At the same time, Osaka prefecture and the city are also aiming to attract an IR including a casino in Yumeshima as well, so there are a lot of issues in such a limited area as they may be running after two hares.



Yumeshima was a village candidate for the summer olympics 2008 that Osaka city tried for.


The attraction race failed, but the reclaiming of the land was continued and now it’s a plan to make about 390 hectares by 2020. 140 hectares has been reclaimed and used for container terminals.



Osaka city is aiming to make Osaka Bay active and is considering it for the Expo and as an IR candidate location.


They considered accelerating the reclaiming of the remaining land of about 250 hectares to make the Expo, but gave up because they found out they need another 20 billion yen to make it happen.


The other artificial islands along the bay, Maishima and Sakishima are also looked at to distribute the events to, but the commuting between islands were determined as not realistic.

Mayor of Osaka who is aiming to attract a casino visits facilities in Singapore

● NHK – Sunday, September 4


Yoshimura, the Mayor of Osaka city who is aiming to attract multiple tourist facilities including a casino visited Singapore for viewing the facility there and received an explanation about measurements to prevent gambling addiction and so on.



On the 4th, Yoshimura the Mayor of Osaka city visited and viewed the IR which is integrated with multiple tourist facilities in a central location such as a casino, hotel and International Conference Center.


Osaka city is aiming to attract such a complex type tourist facility for the purpose of attracting more foreign tourists and making more employment while casino implementation is under consideration in parliament. What they have to sort out is how they can prevent gambling addiction and this is the concern.



For those measurements, the person in charge of the operator in Singapore made the admission free for foreign visitors, but Singaporeans are charged about 8,000 yen and also if the family requests, the number of entries can be restricted, they explained.


After the visit, Yoshimura, the Mayor spoke to the media and said that gambling addiction can be controlled by throwing measures he felt and he wants to attract facilities with such measures in order to be able to survive in an urban competition in the world. So, he indicated that they are going to work on measures for gambling addiction at the same time as trying to attract an IR in Osaka.

Mayor of Osaka lays odds on casino visit in Singapore

● Asahi news digital – Wednesday, August 31


Hirofumi Yoshimura, the Mayor of Osaka who is aiming to attract an IR with a casino will visit Singapore from the 1st of September with executives from three economic organizations in Kansai area and view their IR facilities. As an IR attraction is still in doubt with economic industries, he believes that visiting there with them is a good opportunity to change their understanding to attract an IR in Osaka due to the approval of the Casino Implement Bill.


‘Singapore achieved abundant growth with their IR and so there is a lot we can learn from them. We want to share the value with economic organizations.’ Yoshimura who is aiming to attract an IR to Yumeshima, the artificial island along Osaka Bay (Konohana ward) emphasized the meaning to visiting Singapore in mid August to the media.



He will stay in Singapore till the 5th and visit Marina Bay Sands where they have a casino, hotel and International Conference Center and receive a rundown on the situation of use with the operator and an explanation about public-private partnerships and tourism policies at the development authority and national tourism organization.


After the visit, he will also go to Vietnam in an attempt to market Osaka’s tourism resources and come back to Japan on the 8th.


A total of five people including Shuichi Kageyama, the representative executive of the Kansai Economic Committee, Hiroyuki Suzuki the vice chairman of Mitsui Sumitomo, chairman of Maruichi Steel Tube will be accompanying the mayor for the visit to Singapore. Also, the Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry will send two executive directors out and the Kansai Economic Federation will send two bureau chiefs to accompany him.

Attracting Osaka Expo in 2025… the theme is basically a plan with a ‘Challenge for human health and long life

● Yomiuri newspaper – Friday, June 17


Osaka prefecture announced a draft of the basic plan for attracting the Expo 2025 (Japan World’s fair).


As the aging society of advanced countries influences developing countries with the future, they stated that health problems are an issue for all human societies and adopted an Expo for being healthy.



In the draft, the theme is set as a ‘Challenge for human health and long life’ and will be aimed at making an Expo where people can learn knowledge on living a long life and attend and experience the latest technology to improve daily essentials such as clothing, food and shelter.


The candidate venue was mentioned as Yumeshima (Konohana ward, Osaka city) the artificial island along Osaka Bay.


Since Osaka prefecture and city are aiming to attract an IR including a casino, they explained that it is a region that aims to be a tourism base and so it suits as a point for being a base for transmitting information to the world.


There’s no train that goes to the island, so commuting is one of the challenges, but they mentioned that they would look at reinforcing the train and road networks such as extending the city subway Chuo line and they indicated a move forward with transportation preparation on the back of the opportunity.

Yumeshima is added as a candidate location for the Osaka Expo 2025 and it will be refined from seven places.

● Sankei news – Monday, May 23


Ichiro Matsui, the governor of Osaka is aiming to attract the International Expo 2025 and it has been found out that he added Yumeshima (Konohana ward, Osaka city), the artificial island along Osaka Bay as for a candidate venue on the 23rd from an interview. The candidate places in Osaka are a total of seven places and they will soon start narrowing down a place with the local economic community.



In terms of the candidate location for the Expo, in July last year, the attraction planning investigative commision by Osaka prefecture and the economic community selected them based on the conditions of providing the ability to ensure 100 hectares or more as well as good transportation convenience. Candidates were at the Expo Commemoration Park (in Suita city) where the expo was held in 1970, Rinku Town near Kansai Airport (in Izumisano city) and another six places, but Yumeshima was not included then.


However, Matsui added Yumeshima in at the start of this financial year. He also unofficially had a conference with Yoshihide Suga, the chief cabinet secretary in Tokyo and requested cooperation to attract the Expo indicating such a policy on the 21st.



Yumeshima is about 390 hectares. Osaka city started working on it in 1977 and it is still reclaiming land there. The plan was to make a sub center with two other islands, but it’s been suffering because of financial difficulties and development has been delayed.


Masui is keen to attract it to Yumeshima and expecting that it will be advantageous for IR attractions if it becomes a venue for the Expo as the development surrounding it will be advanced.

The economic effect will be 1.4 trillion yen if the casino happens, as estimated by the Kansai Economic Committee

● Sankei news – Wednesday, March 2


The Kansai Economic Committee announced on the 2nd that the economic effect when the IR includes a casino in Yumeshima, the artificial island along Osaka Bay would be a total of 1 trillion and 471.1 billion yen before opening.


As a massive business that would trigger local activation, they will try to get Osaka city to attract an IR aiming opening in 2020.



They trial estimated based on what they heard from proven IR operators overseas and explained that they want to make the IR as a picture of International tourism and there will be more benefits if it can influence travels from Yumeshima in the Kansai area.


They are going to compile proposals for gambling addiction measures and other negative aspects.



They estimated based on 554.5 billion yen as the annual profit of the IR operator. The scale of investment is said to be 675.9 billion yen in IR related aspects such as the casino and an International Conference Center and the infrastructure base such as trains is 100 billion yen.


They estimate 93,114 employees in an employment making effect especially in the construction industry.



Also, the economic effect after opening is estimated to be 759.6 billion yen annually and employment will be spread into the service industry as well and will require 97,672 employees.

Summary before 2015

The previous Mayor of Osaka, Toru Hashimoto strongly pushed hard on the Osaka Caino IR attraction.






The first candidate for the construction plan was Yumeshima in Konohana ward, Osaka city, which is an artificial island made for the Osaka Olympics 2001 and player village.


About 220 hectares of large property, Yumeshima is reclaimed land made on the sea and is away from the main island. There’s no facility nor residential area, so it was expected that it would suit IR construction as security, noise and terrorism measures could be made possible utilizing its isolation.



Also, the Kansai Economic Committee published the plan video of the artificial island city casino visualising Yumeshima Casino and that drew a large amount of attention with the dynamic image of the modern city and the water of Osaka.



Their detailed plan was that the casino would be 3% of the whole space and other facilities were hotels, restaurants, a shopping mall, a theater arena hall, movie theaters, attractions, a conference center and business convention center like the existing IR and on top of that, making it more unique by adding a theme park with hot spring spas and an aquarium, a museum to enjoy Kansai tourism resources and a theater to tell of Kansai traditional culture, basically the plan was to construct a resort that could be enjoyed by families.



However, because of concern over gambling addiction and security surroundings, a series of risks have been discussed by the Kansai Economic Committee and Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry.


Further to that, because the Osaka Metropolis Plan was ended and discarded, Toru Hashimoto the Mayor of Osaka had to leave politics and the cost for the IR survey proposed at 76 million yen (around 760,000USD) in an extra budget plan was agreed and reduced to 30 million yen (around 300,000USD).


On top of that, Osaka prefecture who also submitted an extra budget to support the city survey had to agree that all the budget for the IR survey of 38 million yen (around 380,000USD) should be removed.



This deployed IR attraction with a casino at Osaka became more difficult to make happen and even if the Casino Implement Bill was agreed in Japan, Osaka will still be the third candidate after Yokohama (Kanagawa prefecture) and Okinawa.