Japan Eyes Its First Casino Resort in Osaka

Following the successful close of the 2025 World Expo, Japan is preparing to transform Yumeshima Island—the artificial island that hosted the event—into a new hub for technology, entertainment, and international tourism. The redevelopment will center on MGM Osaka, a US$3.92 billion integrated resort expected to open in 2030, marking a major step in Osaka Prefecture’s long-term plan to attract global investment.

Nearly half a century ago, Yumeshima was built on Osaka Bay as a landfill site for container terminals and waste processing. Now, it is being reimagined as a “global tourism hub,” part of a broader economic revitalization strategy launched by the prefectural government in 2017.

Anchoring the project is MGM Osaka, a joint venture between MGM Resorts International and Japan’s Orix Corporation. The sprawling complex will include Japan’s first legal casino, large-scale convention and exhibition facilities, luxury hotels, retail spaces, and entertainment venues. The resort alone is projected to attract 20 million visitors annually, putting it in competition with integrated resorts in Macau and Singapore.

• Post-Expo Transformation: After the success of World Expo 2025, Japan plans to redevelop Yumeshima Island into a global hub for tourism, technology, and leisure.

• MGM Osaka Resort: The US$3.9 billion MGM Osaka integrated resort, opening in 2030, will anchor the site with Japan’s first casino, hotels, retail, and MICE facilities.

• Economic Promise and Debate: While leaders tout major economic benefits for Osaka Prefecture, public opinion remains divided over the social impact of casino development.

Expo 2025 Sets the Stage

Yumeshima’s transformation gained momentum with the 2025 World Expo, themed “Designing Future Society for Our Lives.” Despite early concerns over budget overruns, construction delays, and lukewarm public enthusiasm, the six-month event drew more than 25 million visitors and was hailed as a major success.

Exhibitors from 158 nations showcased innovations ranging from flying cars to lab-grown human hearts and AI-guided mobility devices. According to The Japan Times, the Expo could yield profits of roughly US$3.92 billion (JPY28 billion). Its grounds are now slated to become the foundation for the island’s next phase—an expansive technology and leisure district surrounding MGM Osaka.

“The Expo site is vast, and synergy with the IR is expected,” said Hideyuki Araki of the Resona Research Institute. “It is important not to simply end the project with a large-scale development, but to adopt strategies with a medium- to long-term economic outlook.”

Local leaders see Yumeshima’s redevelopment as a turning point for Osaka. At the MGM Osaka groundbreaking in April, Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura called the integrated resort “an overwhelmingly extraordinary space” that will generate new tourism demand and catalyze regional growth. Investors have already proposed additional attractions for the island, including a Formula 1 racetrack, luxury hotels, and a water park. Planners hope these projects will help Osaka compete with established global leisure destinations.

Yet public opinion remains split. A November 2024 survey found that 30.6% of respondents support the integrated resort, while 36.7% are neutral and about one-third oppose it, citing concerns about gambling addiction and social impact. Sociologist Hiroki Ogasawara of Kobe University voiced the opposition’s moral concerns: “Casinos are built on greed, desire, and the pursuit of economic wealth for only a handful of people.”

Following World Expo 2025, Japan is redeveloping Yumeshima Island into a global tourism and tech hub, anchored by the $3.9B MGM Osaka integrated resort.

Balancing Promise and Risk

The Yumeshima project encapsulates Japan’s broader struggle to balance economic ambition with social caution. For some, MGM Osaka represents progress—a chance for Osaka to join the ranks of Asia’s premier tourism and convention destinations. For others, it reflects the risks of overreliance on entertainment-driven growth.

As Japan moves into the post-Expo era, Yumeshima’s next chapter will test whether the island’s reinvention can live up to its promise: transforming a landfill into a beacon of innovation, prosperity, and international appeal—without losing sight of the social concerns that continue to shape the national debate.