Asia

Wakayama Dismisses Demands for IR Referendum

Published

3 years ago

January 31, 2022

Reading Time: < 1 minute

Authorities in Wakayama have finally rejected a call for a public referendum on whether or not to allow proposals for an integrated resort (IR) in the city.

Last November, an anti-IR group began collecting more than 8000 signatures on a petition calling for a referendum on the city’s IR plans.

From January 24 to 27, a special session of the Council took place to debate and vote on the referendum. Finally, 28 officials voted against and only 9 of the 38-member council supported the plebiscite.

Wakayama’s mayor, Masahiro Kohana, who is in favour of developing an IR in the city, opposed the idea of a referendum. He said there was already a formal process that allows for a vote on Wakayama Prefecture’s IR zone development plan. The mayor also said the referendum would be costly for the city.

Last December, Yoshinobu Nisaka, a member of the Japanese Liberal Democratic Party, called for Wakayama’s public hearing sessions on its IR plans to be postponed until residents can be provided with more information about the proposed development.

Nisaka said that to be able to submit a draft development plan, the “most important thing” that needs to be clarified is who will develop the project and how it will raise funds.

Up Next

Change in number of shares and votes in Better Collective A/S

Don't Miss

Changes in VP.Prodigy CS:GO roster

Niji Narayan

Niji Narayan has been in the writing industry for well over a decade or so. He prides himself as one of the few survivors left in the world who have actually mastered the impossible art of copy editing. Niji graduated in Physics and obtained his Master’s degree in Communication and Journalism. He has always interested in sports writing and travel writing. He has written for numerous websites and his in-depth analytical articles top sports magazines like Cricket Today and Sports Today. He reports gaming industry headlines from all around the globe.