The Yokohama Chamber of Commerce & Industry recently announced that it will establish a group on 6 November promoting the city’s integrated resort (IR) bid.
In addition to the Yokohama Chamber of Commerce & Industry, eight groups, including the Kanagawa-ken Employer’s Association, are set to join in the venture. The name of the group is tentatively dubbed as the IR Promotion Council.
As reported by The Nikkei, officials will be appointed on the day of establishment, and president of the Yokohama Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Takashi Ueno, also suggested the possibility of consulting with the Yokohama Harbor Transport Association, who stands firmly opposed to a casino bid.
Every year, the Yokohama Chamber of Commerce & Industry submits a summary of the desires and suggestions for municipal government administration and budget compilation for the next year to coincide with the timing of the Yokohama city budget compilation.
In September of this year, the “Desires for Yokohama City Government Administration” document was submitted to Mayor Fumiko Hayashi, which included the hope to make a Yokohama IR bid a reality.
The document also mentioned, “Recognition of the necessity to establish a Yokohama IR Promotion Council with the objective of planning an IR bid for and promoting a unique Yokohama IR, and establish recognition that an IR that creates new industry and jobs is a valid option in order to maintain and develop the city’s economy amidst a declining population.”
It also focused on the advantages of an IR bid, stating, “IR is also considered to be an effective strategy for resolving Yokohama’s issue of not attracting enough overnight visitors and ensuring new tax revenue … and we hope that a Yokohama bid would be successful to lead to the revitalization of the city’s economy.”
By coincidence, on 21 October, Hokkaido’s local economic group announced an “Emergency joint declaration,” promoting a speedy IR bid. It will be interesting to see how local economic groups and municipal governments of candidate locations fill in the gaps between this sense of speed and levels of interest.
