Japan’s integrated resort (IR) landscape is gaining fresh momentum as Aichi Prefecture officially launches its Request for Proposal (RFP) process — signaling serious intent to enter the next wave of IR development beyond early movers like Osaka.

A Structured and Competitive Evaluation Framework

Aichi’s RFP introduces a highly structured scoring system (1,000 points total) designed to prioritize long-term value over short-term gains:

1. Tourism Competitiveness (450 points)

The largest weighting focuses on:

• overall IR concept and architectural vision
• environmental sustainability & universal design
• MICE capabilities and entertainment offerings
• hospitality infrastructure and casino design

Clear signal: destination quality matters more than just gaming

2. Operational Strength (250 points)

Key areas include:

• execution capability
• financial stability
• disaster resilience
• regulatory compliance and community contribution

Japan continues to emphasize operator credibility and long-term discipline

3. Social & Economic Impact (100 points)

• tourism growth
• job creation
• regional investment

Reinforces IRs as economic engines, not just gaming venues.

4. Responsible Gaming & Social Safeguards (150 points)

• problem gambling prevention
• security measures
• mitigation of social risks

Japan remains one of the most socially cautious IR markets globally

5. Reinvestment Strategy (50 points)

• plans to reinvest casino revenues
• sustaining long-term IR attractiveness

Focus on continuous asset reinvestment, not one-off development.

Strategic Insight: Japan’s “Quality Over Speed” Approach

Unlike other markets, Japan is not rushing.

Instead, it is building:

• highly regulated frameworks
• strict operator requirements
• long-term sustainable models

This reduces risk but also raises the barrier to entry significantly

Unique Angle: Aichi’s Positioning vs Osaka

While Osaka is already advancing its IR plans, Aichi offers:

• strong industrial and economic base (Nagoya region)
• central geographic location in Japan
• potential to target a different visitor mix (business + leisure)

This could create a multi-IR ecosystem in Japan, rather than a single dominant destination.

Industry Context: Why This Matters Now

Global operators — including:

• MGM Resorts International
• Las Vegas Sands
• Galaxy Entertainment Group

have long viewed Japan as one of the most valuable untapped IR markets.

Aichi’s move suggests:

Japan’s IR expansion is far from over

Final Take

Aichi’s RFP is more than just a process — it’s a blueprint.

It shows how Japan wants IRs to be built:

• sustainable
• socially responsible
• economically impactful
• globally competitive

In a world where many markets prioritize speed,
Japan is doubling down on precision and quality.

And for operators, that means one thing:

Winning Japan isn’t about bidding the highest — it’s about building the best.