Yokohama casino contest draws Adelson, Sands

Las Vegas Sands, led by multibillionaire Sheldon Adelson, heads the charge to win an integrated resort license in Japan’s second largest city, Yokohama, the most attractive casino site available in the vicinity of Tokyo so far. The Japanese capital itself has been mum to date on the casino question, focusing instead on the 2020 Olympic Games.

Totally globalized native New Yorker and former broadcast news producer Muhammad Cohen is a blogger for Forbes, editor at large for Inside Asian Gaming and author of Hong Kong On Air, a novel set in his adopted hometown during the 1997 handover about television news, love, betrayal, high finance, and cheap lingerie. See his bio, online archive and more at www.muhammadcohen.com; follow him on Facebook and Twitter @MuhammadCohen.

Japan keeps creeping toward casinos

Every phase of Japan’s casino legalization faces new delays without resolving lingering issues that could threaten the success of the initiative.

Totally globalized native New Yorker and former broadcast news producer Muhammad Cohen is a blogger for Forbes, editor at large for Inside Asian Gaming and author of Hong Kong On Air, a novel set in his adopted hometown during the 1997 handover about television news, love, betrayal, high finance, and cheap lingerie. See his bio, online archive and more at www.muhammadcohen.com; follow him on Facebook and Twitter @MuhammadCohen.

Osaka votes for a casino sooner or later

In elections for mayor and governor this Sunday, Osaka voters will decide on whether they want a casino sooner or later. No one’s asking if they want one at all.

Totally globalized native New Yorker and former broadcast news producer Muhammad Cohen is a blogger for Forbes, editor at large for Inside Asian Gaming and author of Hong Kong On Air, a novel set in his adopted hometown during the 1997 handover about television news, love, betrayal, high finance, and cheap lingerie. See his bio, online archive and more at www.muhammadcohen.com; follow him on Facebook and Twitter @MuhammadCohen.

MGM moves ahead in Japan casino race with Orix

Showing the shape of things to come, MGM Resorts International is working with Japan finance giant Orix to pursue a casino resort in Osaka. It’s inevitable that national corporate giants will want a piece of these so-called integrated resorts, one of Japan’s biggest economic opportunities. MGM was smart to get a solid partner and, according to reports, have an equal share of the deal with Orix. Stay tuned for more on Osaka and MGM.

Totally globalized native New Yorker and former broadcast news producer Muhammad Cohen is a blogger for Forbes, editor at large for Inside Asian Gaming and author of Hong Kong On Air, a novel set in his adopted hometown during the 1997 handover about television news, love, betrayal, high finance, and cheap lingerie. See his bio, online archive and more at www.muhammadcohen.com; follow him on Facebook and Twitter @MuhammadCohen.

Japan regional casino action heats up

Nagasaki declared last week that it will seek an integrated resort license to build a property that includes a casino, and US tribal operator Mohegan opened an office in Hokkaido, another mooted IR site beyond Japan’s largest cities. However, according to some observers, Wakayama, just over an hour from Osaka, could be Japan’s leading regional contender due to its proximity to the country’s second largest population hub, government enthusiasm and a site that’s ready for development.

Totally globalized native New Yorker and former broadcast news producer Muhammad Cohen is a blogger for Forbes, editor at large for Inside Asian Gaming and author of Hong Kong On Air, a novel set in his adopted hometown during the 1997 handover about television news, love, betrayal, high finance, and cheap lingerie. See his bio, online archive and more at www.muhammadcohen.com; follow him on Facebook and Twitter @MuhammadCohen.