{"id":102307,"date":"2019-04-08T12:19:49","date_gmt":"2019-04-08T19:19:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/?p=102307"},"modified":"2019-04-08T12:20:29","modified_gmt":"2019-04-08T19:20:29","slug":"osaka-mayor-and-governor-swap-jobs-in-local-elections-to-keep-casino-plans-on-track","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/osaka-mayor-and-governor-swap-jobs-in-local-elections-to-keep-casino-plans-on-track\/","title":{"rendered":"Osaka Mayor and Governor Swap Jobs in Local Elections to Keep Casino Vision Intact"},"content":{"rendered":"

In a risky political maneuver, the Osaka City mayor and Osaka Prefecture governor swapped jobs on Sunday in a move that bodes well for the administration\u2019s ambition to host Japan\u2019s first integrated resort.<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Osaka
Former governor, Ichiro Matsui (left), now mayor, and former mayor, Hirofumi Yoshimura, now governor. Their election to one another\u2019s jobs on Sunday keeps the push for an Osaka casino on track. (Image: Kyodo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

With both approaching the end of their terms, former mayor Hirofumi Yoshimura and former governor Ichiro Matsui resigned from their positions last month in a bid to run for one another\u2019s jobs at Sunday\u2019s local elections — and, while controversial and highly unusual, the move paid off, receiving the emphatic endorsement of voters.<\/p>\n

It may have been a political gamble, but the role swap was not only about an Osaka casino. Yoshimura and Matsui\u2019s party, Osaka Ishin, wants to merge the city\u2019s 24 wards — sub-municipal administrative entities — into one municipal body, which it claims will cut costs and promote growth.<\/p>\n

The proposal was narrowly defeated in a public referendum last year, but Yoshimura and Matsui believe Sunday\u2019s voter endorsement could pave the way for a new vote on the issue.<\/p>\n

Osaka Casino and Other Big Ideas<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The merger is part of a series of reforms backed by the two men, which includes the establishment of an integrated resort and the hosting of the World\u2019s Fair in 2025.<\/p>\n

\n

Osaka won its bid to hold the international expo last November and officials believe it will attract 28 million visitors. There are hopes an integrated resort can be ready in time to capitalize.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Of Japan\u2019s three biggest cities, Osaka has shown by far the most enthusiasm for the establishment a casino in its midst, and the feeling among international operators like MGM Resorts, LVS, Melco, and others\u00a0is mutual.<\/a><\/p>\n

With the elections out of the way, and continuity established, Osaka Ishin can move forward with choosing a development partner and working to become the first Japanese city with a casino.<\/p>\n

Change in Hokkaido<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Meanwhile, Hokkaido — Japan\u2019s northernmost prefecture, and also its second largest island — also held gubernatorial elections, which Inside Asian Gaming<\/em> reports produced a positive result for its casino ambitions.<\/p>\n

Hokkaido officials are interested in hosting an integrated resort in the city of Tomakomai, and the election of a young new governor, Naomichi Suzuki, who is said to be open to the idea, will be welcomed by operators with designs on the area.<\/p>\n

These include Hard Rock International, Caesars Entertainment, Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment and Foxwoods.<\/p>\n

But with only three licenses initially made available by the central government, Hokkaido would have to compete in a national selection process, and its chances of success are far less assured than a huge metropolis such as Osaka.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In a risky political maneuver, the Osaka City mayor and Osaka Prefecture governor swapped jobs on Sunday in a move that bodes well for the administration\u2019s ambition to host Japan\u2019s first integrated resort. With both approaching the end of their terms, former mayor Hirofumi Yoshimura and former governor Ichiro Matsui resigned from their positions last […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":36,"featured_media":102310,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[18,61],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nMayor and Governor Swap Jobs to Keep Osaka Casino Plans on Track<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Osaka casino is still on track as former mayor Hirofumi Yoshimura and former governor Ichiro Matsui pull off an audacious strategy to retain power.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Mayor and Governor Swap Jobs to Keep Osaka Casino Plans on Track\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Osaka casino is still on track as former mayor Hirofumi Yoshimura and former governor Ichiro Matsui pull off an audacious strategy to retain power.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/osaka-mayor-and-governor-swap-jobs-in-local-elections-to-keep-casino-plans-on-track\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Casino.org\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Casino.OrgNews\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2019-04-08T19:19:49+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2019-04-08T19:20:29+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Hirofumi-Yoshimura-and-Ichiro-Matsui.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2793\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"2129\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Philip Conneller\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@casinoorgphilc\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@Casino_Org\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Philip Conneller\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"2 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/osaka-mayor-and-governor-swap-jobs-in-local-elections-to-keep-casino-plans-on-track\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/osaka-mayor-and-governor-swap-jobs-in-local-elections-to-keep-casino-plans-on-track\/\",\"name\":\"Mayor and Governor Swap Jobs to Keep Osaka Casino Plans on Track\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/osaka-mayor-and-governor-swap-jobs-in-local-elections-to-keep-casino-plans-on-track\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/osaka-mayor-and-governor-swap-jobs-in-local-elections-to-keep-casino-plans-on-track\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Hirofumi-Yoshimura-and-Ichiro-Matsui.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2019-04-08T19:19:49+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2019-04-08T19:20:29+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/58769b72851c8cf117fb58ca150ebf8b\"},\"description\":\"Osaka casino is still on track as former mayor Hirofumi Yoshimura and former governor Ichiro Matsui pull off an audacious strategy to retain power.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/osaka-mayor-and-governor-swap-jobs-in-local-elections-to-keep-casino-plans-on-track\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/osaka-mayor-and-governor-swap-jobs-in-local-elections-to-keep-casino-plans-on-track\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/osaka-mayor-and-governor-swap-jobs-in-local-elections-to-keep-casino-plans-on-track\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Hirofumi-Yoshimura-and-Ichiro-Matsui.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Hirofumi-Yoshimura-and-Ichiro-Matsui.jpg\",\"width\":2793,\"height\":2129,\"caption\":\"ormer governor, Ichiro Matsui (left), now mayor, and former mayor, Hirofumi Yoshimura, now governor. 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