Japan’s integrated casino resorts offer spa and medical travel facilities

Although most gambling is currently illegal in Japan, the coalition government passed legislation in July 2019 that is to see the nation of some 126 million people offer up three casino licenses. To be selected as a host for one of these coming facilities, which are locally known as integrated casino resorts, communities are being required to partner with an experienced operator before submitting their competing final proposals to a panel of federal selectors in Tokyo.

Sasebo is a small city of 248,000 people and is hoping to be granted a license so that it can bring a Las Vegas-style casino resort to a 74-acre site adjacent to its Huis Ten Bosch theme park. The aim is that this development would eventually feature multiple hotels and restaurants as well as substantial conference and exhibition areas in hopes that it will be able to improve the local economy by attracting more tourists.

Japan Incorporated is considering a planned Sasebo development and the imagined property could encompass performance venues and a spa alongside a casino and resources for medical tourism businesses.

Developers may be using health and medical tourism potential as a way of enticing the government to go for their scheme. It is unclear if their promises are serious or if they are just using medical tourism as a way to win their bid.