The mayor of Hakodate, a major city on Japan’s northernmost main island of Hokkaido, has said the city is in “no position” to pursue a bid to host an integrated resort (IR) with a casino.
Jun Oizumi made the remarks on 16 September 2025 during a city assembly session, according to local media reports. The statement comes just weeks after Hakodate was named among the Hokkaido settlements that had signalled interest in a recent prefectural government survey about hosting a future IR development.
Oizumi acknowledged that as a tourism-driven city, it was “natural” for Hakodate to be interested in such a project. However, he stressed that the city was not prepared to move forward at present. He told representatives that while the city supports the idea in principle, there are currently no concrete plans or proposals in place to pursue an IR bid.
Earlier this month, Oizumi had expressed a cautious willingness to consider the idea, saying the local government was “keen” but not ready to act. Hakodate’s shift in tone may reflect concerns over the financial and logistical demands of competing for a licence.
Hakodate, home to around 240,000 residents, sits at the southern tip of Hokkaido and is linked to Japan’s main island of Honshu by high-speed trains running through an undersea tunnel. The city is well known for its port, historical buildings and scenic night views, which have long made it a popular destination for domestic tourism.
Tomakomai pushes ahead
Tomakomai, another Hokkaido city, has also been in the spotlight after signalling its interest in the same August survey. The industrial port city has a long history of pursuing an IR project and was once seen as Hokkaido’s leading candidate location for such a development.
Prior to the prefecture’s decision not to join the first round of national IR applications in 2019, Tomakomai was one of three shortlisted sites under consideration. That earlier round ultimately saw only Osaka, Yokohama, and Nagasaki move forward, though Yokohama and Nagasaki’s plans have since stalled or been shelved.
Suguru Kanazawa, the mayor of Tomakomai, recently reiterated his city’s readiness to push ahead when the central government reopens the process. He said Tomakomai authorities were “willing” to work with nearby municipalities to strengthen local support for their future bid.
Second IR licence soon
Japan is widely expected to launch a second round of IR licence applications around 2026, though an exact timeline has yet to be confirmed. In June, a government official described the next round as “not far off”, fuelling speculation that preparations could begin soon.
At present, the country has approved only one IR project, MGM Osaka. The resort, being developed by MGM Resorts International and Japan’s Orix Corporation with support from other domestic companies, is projected to cost JPY1.51 trillion ($10.31 billion), up nearly 19 percent from earlier estimates. It is scheduled to open in 2030. For now, Hakodate’s decision leaves Tomakomai as Hokkaido’s most likely contender, should the next round open.
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AloJapan.com