IR Promotion Council Publishes Summary Opinion (Becoming A "Tourism Developed Country")

In accordance with the Act concerning Promotion of Development of Integrated Resort Areas that we first described in our December 2016/January 2017 issue, the Council for the Promotion of the Development of Integrated Resort Areas ("IR Promotion Council") was established to study and deliberate about the measures to be taken to promote the development of integrated resort areas. On July 31, 2017, the IR Promotion Council, after numerous discussions, resolved and published the Summary Opinion (Becoming a "Tourism Developed Country"). This opinion includes some key information that will function as the basis of the draft bill of the Implementation Act concerning Development of Integrated Resort Areas ("IR Implementation Act"), which will be prepared in the future. For instance, the maximum number of areas to be approved by the government will be limited to two or three in the early stages. The exact procedures for deciding the areas to be approved, the timing of