The Japanese government approved its first casino on Friday, taking a step toward developing a new source of tourism. The casino will focus on attracting domestic tourists as other Asian casinos struggle to recover from a drop in Chinese visitors after the pandemic.
The integrated resort, which is planned to include a casino, conference center, exhibition hall, hotel and theater, could open its doors as early as the fall of 2029.
An expert panel under the ministry is believed to have recently determined that the proposal from the Osaka city and prefectural governments meets all of the necessary requirements.
The two governments submitted a proposal in April 2020 for the facility, which sits on a site that measures approximately 492,000 square meters.
