The resignation of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, along with lingering opposition to upcoming integrated resorts (IRs), has created a tough spot for casino advocates. Nagasaki has now put it’s own Request for Proposal (RFP) process on hold, while opposition in Yokohama is stepping up.

When Nagasaki released it’s Kyushu-Nagasaki IR Basic concept in April, it expected things to move forward pretty smoothly, despite the Covid-19 pandemic. But the pandemic might be a little worse than they imagined, and Japan’s national Basic IR policy hasn’t progressed as far as they thought, delaying the RFP process beyond July.

Now, the RFP process is entirely on hold. After Abe’s resignation, Governor Hodo Nakamura and Mayor Norio Tomonaga released this statement: “We will consider the overall trend for the country and operator opinions to determine an appropriate time for the recruitment.”

Tomonaga has since admitted that the situation is more difficult than they originally imagined. “The situation is chaotic because of the Prime Minister’s resignation. I would like to start as soon as the situation allows,” he said on August 31.