Uncategorized

June 14, 2019 (Friday), Nagasaki, Japan:  The Kyushu – Nagasaki IR Business Connect Seminar (to be held on 27 June 2019) has confirmed at least six international operators and investment groups who have agreed to support the event and speak to attendees. The operators in attendance will be presenting on a variety of topics to an expected audience of nearly 500 participants.

Confirmed event sponsors now include Agora Hospitality Group, Current Corp. – Sofitel Macau at Ponte 16 & Get Nice Holdings Limited, Oshidori International Development Limited, Disaster Support Foundation and Casino Austria International, as well as one international operator who has asked to remain anonymous until the event date. Each of the sponsors will be given time to present individually, where they will introduce their organizations, visions for the future of an integrated resort in Nagasaki Prefecture as well as how they foresee economic integration with the Greater Kyushu Region at large. Problem gaming will also be a topic for discussion. A second session will include a panel discussion which will be chaired by Mr. Andrew Edsall of The Carter Group, a Japanese market research firm based in Tokyo.

The event is expected to draw attendance from Nagasaki Prefecture as well as the Greater Kyushu Region across both the public and private sectors. Additional attendees will include event supporters such as the Nagasaki Prefecture and Sasebo City Governments and a variety of Chambers of Commerce and Economic Federations from throughout Kyushu. The event is seen as the first major IR seminar in the region and follows the recent announcement at the Kyushu Regional Strategy Conference that confirmed agreement for the support of a Nagasaki-based IR by all Kyushu Governors as well as the governors of Okinawa and Yamaguchi.

It is expected that attendees will be interviewed after the event to gauge feedback based on the presentations given and will be passed to the event supporters to further study and understand public perception and IR support within the region.

The Kyushu Governor’s Association held a meeting in Iki City in Nagsaki Prefecture on June 5, 2019 and confirmed a special resolution consisting of a petition to the central government that confirms Nagasaki will lead and develop all Kyushu integrated resort (IR) efforts. This resolution is unique in that all nine prefectures within the Greater Kyushu Region, including Okinawa and Yamaguchi, have agreed to support the efforts of Nagasaki in the development of an IR in the region.

The Kyushu Regional Strategy Conference group has fully agreed to support the development of the Nagasaki-based IR and will work together to now establish the Project Team to assist in all efforts related to this push. The group includes all governors from within the Kyushu Region as well as the governors of Okinawa and Yamaguchi, as well as the Chairman of the Kyushu Economic Federation, Chairmen of the Federation of Kyushu Chambers of Commerce and Industry, the Committee of Kyushu Keizai Doyukai and the Chairman of the Kyushu Employer’s Association. The members of this group will be involved in the creation of the IR Project Team for Kyushu-Nagasaki.

The Governor of Nagasaki Prefecture, Mr. Nakamura, stated: “If the Kyushu-Nagasaki IR proceeds, we believe it will offer a tremendous boost and further support to our tourism and economic efforts. We aim to have the Kyushu-Nagasaki IR supported by our “All-Kyushu” campaign which will be led together by all of the prefectures within Greater Kyushu.”

The Sasebo Chamber of Commerce in partnership with HOGO will hold the prefecture’s first major IR event on June 27^th at Arkas Sasebo. The event will be in partnership with many of the local support groups involved in today’s decision, as well as with IR operators who may have an interest in the region.

May 29 2019 (Wednesday), Tokyo Japan:   HOGO has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Japanese creative agency Tomodachi. The agreement will be both agencies working closely together in the development of creative pitches and strategic execution of marketing and advertising campaigns for clients in Japan and overseas.

Tomodachi is the brainchild of former Creative Director for UNIQLO Tomohiro Kaji. The agency founder, he previously studied graphic design at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. In 2008, he joined UNIQLO as the first graphic designer and went on to build the entire global creative team for the clothing giant, including leading teams in both Tokyo and New York City. Tomohiro worked previously on UNIQLO’s global branding projects such as the design and launch of flagship stores in new markets, product packaging and branding including globally renown HEATTECH and Ultra-Light Down, in-store branding, social innovation and more.

Tomohiro’s achievements in the creative world include: Japan Package Design Award Gold Prize, Pen Award Gold Prize, AIGA Cause and Effect Honorable Mention, +ESD Design Award Judge’s Choice.

Chris Wieners, Managing Partner of HOGO, stated: “I am excited to announce our formal partnership with Tomodachi and Tomohiro Kaji. As a long-standing member of Japan’s creative community, Kaji-san has proven himself as a visionary in the development of Japanese brands overseas. His success with the overseas expansion of UNIQLO, among other projects, is something that HOGO aims to develop for clients both in Japan and overseas.”

Tomohiro Kaji, Founder of Tomodachi, stated: “We are happy to announce our partnership with HOGO. Their expertise in the fields of marketing and advertising both in Japan and overseas will allow us to offer a new, premium marketing suite of services to our clients as well as explore and develop new and exciting industries, such as integrated resorts, in the development of creative marketing solutions.”

The agency group plans to develop creative solutions for a variety of industries, including a focus on Japanese firms looking to expand their domestic brands to a more international audience.

May 9 2019 (Thursday), Nagasaki, Japan:   The Nagasaki Integrated Resort Business-Connect Seminar that will be held on 27 June 2019 at Arkas Sasebo has confirmed additional regional support. A variety of Kyushu organizations and government bodies have chosen to support the event, which will be the largest IR-focused event held so far within Nagasaki Prefecture.

Additional support (referred to as “Koen” in Japanese) has come from a variety of regional parties, including:

• Nagasaki Prefectural Government
• Sasebo City Government
• Kyushu Economic Federation
• Federation of Kyushu Chambers of Commerce and Industry
• Kyushu Keizai Doyukai
• Kyushu Employer’s Association
• Kyushu Association of Independent Entrepreneurs
• The Council for West Kyushu Integrated Resorts
• Federation of Nagasaki Prefecture Chambers of Commerce and Industry
• Nagasaki Prefectural Federation of Societies of Commerce and Industry

The event is set to feature a variety of speakers, including operators and investors who are keen to support the development of an IR in Sasebo. It is expected to attract a crowd of 500 participants, including members of all the support organizations. The event itself is being developed by the Sasebo Chamber of Commerce with support from HOGO.

Additional information is available online: https://www.hogodigital.com/nagasaki-business-connect-seminar/

April 10 2019 (Wednesday), Nagasaki, Japan:   The Sasebo Chamber of Commerce announced that they will hold a seminar titled “Business-Connect”  at Arkas Sasebo on Thursday, June 27 2019. The event will be held by the Chamber of Commerce and will be officially sanctioned by Nagasaki Prefecture. The event will be open to members of the Chamber of Commerce as well as the local private sector from Sasebo, Nagasaki and from the greater Kyushu Region as a whole.

The Business-Connect seminar will focus on connecting both Sasebo and Kyushu’s private sector leaders with integrated resort operators and developers who are focused on the region. This will include presence by those operators seeking to develop a resort in Nagasaki, as well as those who see the Kyushu region as a potential opportunity for future investment and development. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn how IR operators manage procurement processes, the scale of the property development and hear from several prominent academic and government figures. The event will also include several operators, primarily those who have shown an interest in the working with Nagasaki on the development of an integrated resort within the region.

In addition to integrated resort development, Nagasaki as well as the Greater Kyushu Region have seen increased interest from a variety of developers seeking long term investment opportunities. The Business-Connect seminar aims to allow the private sector to meet and connect directly with those seeking to invest within the region through both an education seminar and a private networking event.

Mr. Kousei Tsuji of the Nagasaki Marine IR Promotion Council, Sasebo Chamber of Commerce stated: “We are pleased to launch the Business-Connect seminar as the great opportunity to increase the awareness of the scale of IR development, and support for the integrated resort industry within the local private sector of Sasebo. It is important that local business leaders understand the full potential the industry brings to the region and are presented with opportunities to connect with international operators who may invest into our city.”

The event will be held in conjunction with HOGO, a marketing firm based in both Macau and Japan who will assist in the promotion, management and branding of the event as a whole.

HOGO’s Managing Partner, Chris Wieners, will participate as a moderator in this years G2E Asia 2019 conference held 21 to 23 May at The Venetian Macao. The panel’s confirmed title is “Spotlight on Japan: Economic Impacts to Other Asia Markets” and will focus on the perceived implications that IR development in Japan will have on the gaming industry throughout Asia as a whole, as well as other ancillary impacts that are to be seen.

The panel is set to include industry experts from several markets including Macau and Japan, including Masahiro Terada of Pricewaterhouse Coopers and Niall Murray of Murray International. Additional panelists are also planned for the session.

G2E Asia will include a variety of sessions on Japan’s integrated resort industry, including a focus on the gaming facet. The planned panel specific to gaming will be moderated by Joji Kokuryo with a panel including Professor Toru Mihara of the Osaka University of Commerce, Mitsuaki Kiriyama of Solaire Resort & Casino and Yugo Kinoshita of Aruze.

All eyes are focused on Japan as the country pushes ahead to potentially become one of the world’s most lucrative gaming markets. Operators from the USA, Macau and other jurisdictions are currently working to develop teams and initiatives within Japan in hopes to get one of three initial licenses to be offered in the country.

March 18 2019 (Monday), Nagasaki, Japan: The Sasebo Chamber of Commerce has confirmed HOGO as their official marketing partner for the purpose of developing initiatives focused around stimulating interest within the Prefecture in the development of integrated resorts. Nagasaki Prefecture recently announced its policy to aim for an IR bid, targeting an opening of 2024.

The Chamber of Commerce aims to develop interest and excitement around the development of the IR industry in the region, with the Huis Ten Bosch amusement park the most likely site for development. The group also plans to create further cooperation between IR operators and the local private sector to promote regional development via the IR industry.

HOGO will work with the chamber on the development of local initiatives and events, reaching out to the private sectors of Nagasaki and the Greater Kyushu Region. This will include the continuation of HOGO’s Executive Tour Program, which will see the Chamber of Commerce and relevant business leaders in the region visit Macau in Q2 2019 to view operations and further understand the scale and opportunities associated with the IR industry.

Chris Wieners, Managing Partner of HOGO, stated: “We will support the Sasebo Chamber of Commerce in their goal to promote understanding and awareness of opportunities for the Nagasaki and regional Kyushu private sectors as related to the development of an integrated resort in the region. We look forward to working closely with them as they work to build an attractive brand for the region that will attract interest from operators.”

The Sasebo Chamber of Commerce stated: “We are pleased to be working with HOGO on our initiatives here in Sasebo. Our goal is to develop strong support by regional business leadership on the development of an integrated resort. Our aim is to support and build the connections between international IR operators and the local private sector as well as promote overall development in the region. HOGO’s presence in Japan as well as their past performances were a deciding factor – we are happy to have them on board in supporting the Sasebo Chamber of Commerce and Nagasaki IR efforts.”

March 7, 2019 (Thursday), Tokyo, Japan:   Clarion Gaming has confirmed HOGO as its marketing partner in Japan for the upcoming JgC (Japan Gaming Congress), held at the Conrad Tokyo 16 to 17 May 2019.

The annual event will focus on the future of the IR market, including content around the economic and commercial impact, public engagement and political progression.

Representation from integrated resort operators throughout the world, as well as both central and regional government representatives of Japan are expected to be in attendance, and examine the next steps for the industry.

Chris Wieners, Managing Partner of HOGO, stated: “I am pleased to confirm our formal partnership with Clarion Gaming . We have and will continue to support JgC as it aims to further promote the development of integrated resorts within Japan. We hope to be able to broaden the interest of the private sector within Japan as integrated resort development moves closer to a reality.”

Rory Credland, Event Director, stated: “We are happy to have HOGO on board to assist us with further building the JgC brand within Japan. Their knowledge and expertise in the local Japanese market ensures that our event will be relevant to the domestic marketplace and will garner coverage across the many sectors in Japan that stand to benefit from the development of the IR industry within the country.”

About HOGO

HOGO is a marketing strategy and corporate communications company that focuses on the tourism, hospitality, gaming and entertainment industries. Based in Macau, the agency has offices in Hong Kong, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia and Japan. Focused on creative marketing and strategic vision, HOGO works with clients to further develop and build their brands throughout Asia Pacific.  |  Website: www.hogodigital.com

About Japan Gaming Congress
JgC (Japan Gaming Congress) is a ticketed two-day educational forum that offers practical insights and understanding into the casino legislation in Japan, while also providing an in-depth vision on what it takes to create a successful Integrated Resort. Taking place on Thursday and Friday, 2019, May 16 and 17 at the Conrad Tokyo in Japan, JgC is an intelligence gathering for gaming professionals in Japan looing to find out the best way forward for the IR industry.  |  Website: www.japangamingcongress.com

HOGO is excited to announce that client Ambiente Properties (www.ambiente.mo) has been confirmed a winner of several awards by the International Property Awards, including Best Real Estate Website.

The Ambiente team will be accepting their award at the official ceremony to be held 14 to 15 May at the Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park hotel. Congratulations to the team at Ambiente on their continued success!

January 24, 2019 (Thursday): A briefing that included discussions around integrated resort development was recently held by the Central Government of Japan in Nagoya on 11 January 2019. During the meeting, which included attendance by the Cabinet Office Secretariat, a statement was made that firmly re-instituted the fact that the selection of all prefectural locations who participate in the bid for the development of integrated resorts will be considered and that there is no rule with regards to how the locations will be placed. It was emphasized the fact that the final decisions will be based on the balance of the locations that will ultimately result in advancing Japan’s place as a leader in international tourism.

In the Kansai Region, both Osaka and Wakayama Prefectures have announced their interest as candidates for the coveted licenses for the development of integrated resorts. This emphasis on the balance of placements fairs well for Wakayama, a location that has aggressively worked to promote themselves as a prime candidate for a regional IR development project.

Wakayama has previously stated that the accessibility between themselves and Osaka as well as the unique development plans of each IR would work as a complement. The prefecture has previously stated that “considering the population of the Kansai Region in general as well as the placement of Kansai International Airport, we feel we can create synergy and an even greater economic benefit between the two destinations should integrated resort development be allowed in both Osaka and Wakayama.”

Wakayama completed an RFI process in 2018 which saw seven integrated resort operators showcase their interest in the prefecture.