Yokohama Mayoral Race Turns on Casino Policy as Nakatani Pledges to Keep City Gambling-Free
A municipal application window for integrated resorts in Japan will open next year
Yokohama, Japan’s mayoral race has been sharpened by a renewed fight over casino development, with independent candidate Kazuma Nakatani pledging to keep the city free of any integrated resort push and to back a local ban if elected.
According to Kanagawa Shimbun, the former lawmaker wants to take the proposal to the city assembly and move it through during his term.
A Clean Break from IR
Nakatani’s stance builds on Yokohama’s reversal under Yamanaka, who ended the city’s earlier pursuit of an IR plan after winning office on an anti-casino platform in 2021.
The current race follows his resignation over workplace harassment allegations, with official campaigning due to begin on 4 October and voting set for 18 October.
In a broader sign of the contest’s political weight, the Constitutional Democratic Party’s Kanagawa chapter said on 14 September it would support Nakatani’s independent bid.
Speaking on his casino related policy, Nakatani stated “I would like to consult with the city council about a casino ban ordinance, and if it can be passed,
“I would like to realize a situation during my term where procedures are not carried out without the knowledge of the citizens,” he added.
Hard Rock Sets it Sights
The IR question has long loomed over Japan. The Japan Tourism Agency published a draft Cabinet order opening a new municipal application window from May 6 to November 5, 2027.
At the end of December last year, Hard Rock International announced its intentions to pursue a IR license.
Ado Machida, president of Hard Rock Japan, told IAG at the time that the company remained committed to Japan. “We at Hard Rock are very pleased that a new round of national licenses is being conducted,” he said, stressing plans to build “a world-class premier destination resort for the Japanese market, with the ever-increasing number of international travelers.”
