Japan: Hokkaido will not pursue an IR license

Local government has decided not to seek any budget for IR development for the coming fiscal year.

Japan.- Hokkaido lawmakers have finally confirmed that they are not fighting for one of the three IR licences up for grabs in Japan.

The news comes after the city said it was considering including operating expenses in the general accounting budget for a future IR bid.

The prefectural government has decided not to seek any budget for IR development for the coming fiscal year because of the growing negative public opinion after the recent IR corruption scandal involving House of Representatives member Tsukasa Akimoto.

The Governor of Hokkaido, Naomichi Suzuki, confirmed in December that the prefecture would not launch IR bid.

In mid January, he performed a u-turn and said he would push for an IR in his prefecture and will fight for one of the three licences up for grabs.

Now, it seems, the city has finally decided to step away from bidding for an IR licence.