All seven Yokohama mayoral candidates rule out seeking an IR in the city

All seven candidates in the Yokohama mayoral election have publicly ruled out submitting a pitch to host an integrated resort (IR) with a casino in the city, GGRAsia's Japan correspondent reports. The campaign period opened on Sunday for the October 18 election in the port city of around 3.7 million people, which lies approximately 35 kilometres (21.7 miles) south of Tokyo. The next national application window for up to two Japanese casino-resort licences runs from early May to November 2027.

Why Yokohama candidates rule out an IR in the mayoral race

Every candidate has stated they are not in favour of pursuing an IR in Yokohama, according to candidate statements and campaign materials reviewed by GGRAsia. The uniform position leaves little prospect of the city changing course while any one of these contenders holds the mayoralty.

Former mayor Takeharu Yamanaka, an independent who resigned amid allegations of ill-treatment of staff last month, is among the seven candidates and has made opposition to an IR a campaign theme. Local reporting has said Mr Yamanaka and the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDP) separately signalled there had been renewed interest in the IR topic on Yokohama's city council and within parts of the business community.

Toru Sakakura, vice chairman of the Yokohama Chamber of Commerce and Industry, addressed the matter at a press conference on 24 September, saying the chamber would not seek candidate pledges to promote an IR for Yokohama. He was quoted as saying:

"Clear opposition of Yokohama citizens on having an IR has been confirmed in the 2021 mayoral election and the issue has already been settled." — Toru Sakakura, Yokohama Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Mr Sakakura's comment echoes the stance adopted after Mr Yamanaka's 2021 election victory, when he announced the city would not bid in the first round of national applications to host a casino resort.

Political context and local debate over an IR

Opposition to an IR has been a recurrent electoral issue in Yokohama. After the 2021 mayoral contest the city abandoned plans to pursue a bid in the first national round of applications. Before that decision, businesses had identified potential industry partners that might have pursued a commercial relationship for a Yokohama licence: Genting Singapore Ltd, operator of Resorts World Sentosa, and Melco Resorts and Entertainment Ltd were both named in reporting as possible contenders.

The Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan sought to make resistance to an IR an electoral plank during the current campaign, and GGRAsia's correspondent reported that both the party and Mr Yamanaka indicated they had seen a resurgence of interest on the city council and among some business groups. Despite those signals, the seven candidates' public statements show no appetite for reversing the 2021 position.

How the mayoral result could affect Japan's next IR application window

The national government plans the next application window for up to two casino-resort licences from early May to November 2027. If Yokohama's elected mayor maintains the city's current stance against an IR, local political opposition would make it effectively impossible for a licence applicant to secure municipal support in time for that window.

That timetable is relevant to operators and investors considering Japan. With the next window fixed in the 2027 calendar, cities that wish to be candidates must have local political and administrative alignment well ahead of May. For Yokohama, the unanimous candidate positions mean any change of course would require a rapid and explicit reversal by a future mayor and supporting city council votes within the months before the application period.

The only approved IR and competing operators previously linked to Yokohama

To date the sole approved integrated resort in Japan is MGM Osaka, developed by United States-based MGM Resorts International with local partners including Orix Corp. MGM Osaka is a JPY 1.51-trillion (US$9.57-billion at current rates) project scheduled to open at the end of 2030.

Ahead of Yokohama's 2021 decision to stand down, media and industry commentary had flagged two international casino operators as potential commercial partners for a Yokohama bid: Genting Singapore Ltd and Melco Resorts and Entertainment Ltd. Neither company is reported to have an active bid for Yokohama in the current campaign, and with all seven mayoral candidates opposed, major operators would face clear political obstacles if they sought to re-engage.

What this means for operators, investors and local stakeholders

Operators and investors watching Japan's IR market must treat Yokohama as politically unavailable for the foreseeable window to 2027 unless local leaders change position. The city's population size — about 3.7 million — and its geographic proximity to Tokyo mean it remains strategically significant, but candidate opposition creates a barrier of local political consent rather than commercial feasibility.

For companies preparing for the early May to November 2027 application window, the practical implication is a need to prioritise municipalities where political and business consensus supports an IR pitch. Stakeholders should factor municipal election calendars and candidate positions into their project timelines and engagement strategies.

Short timeline and key facts

• Yokohama population: approximately 3.7 million.

• Distance from Tokyo: around 35 kilometres (21.7 miles) south.

• Mayoral election day: 18 October 2026; campaign period opened on Sunday prior to that date.

• Next national IR application window: early May to November 2027, for up to two licences.

• MGM Osaka: JPY 1.51-trillion (US$9.57-billion), due to open end of 2030.

For background on Japan's casino licensing framework and the 2027 timetable, see our regulation coverage and related reporting in news.