The Macau Metro Monitor, July 12th, 2010


SIX-MONTH BAN APPLIED TO ALMOST 400 NON-RESIDENT WORKERS Macaubusiness.com

From April 26 to June 30, a total of 382 non-resident workers have received a six-month ban on working in Macau.  The law states that the six-month ban should only be applied to the cases of termination of labor contracts without just cause by the non-resident worker within the effective term of the contract.
 

CHINA'S PROPERTY PRICES ROSE AT SLOWER PACE IN JUNE Channel News Asia

Housing prices in 70 major cities rose 11.4% YoY in June, compared with 12.4% YoY growth in May.  June prices fell by 0.1% from May's, the first MoM decline since March last year, according to sources.

Chinese media reports have said a property tax could be imposed on a trial basis in Beijing, Shanghai, the southwestern mega-city of Chongqing and the southern city of Shenzhen.  

JAPAN'S GREAT GAMBLE Japan Times

There is optimism that a casino bill may be passed in Spring 2011.  The prefectures that have expressed interest in building a casino include Tokyo, Okinawa, Nagasaki (the plan is to build one at the Huis Ten Bosch amusement park), Osaka, Wakayama, Kanagawa, Chiba, Miyagi, Akita and Hokkaido.

Toru Mihara, one of Japan's leading authorities on gambling law and casinos and an adviser to the current league of Diet members, believes that lawmakers are currently thinking of two casinos. "There will be a three-part process: 1) national government selects prefectures where casinos will be located. 2) those prefecture governments select private-sector operators via an open tender. 3)  The winning bidder will need to acquire a casino operating license from the national government — probably through a dedicated casino control authority set up under the Cabinet," said Mihara.

Mihara also said Okinawa may be an option to relieve some of the tension from the US military base relocation issue.  But Michael Leven, Sands' COO, has said, "We'd be interested in a place like Tokyo or Osaka.  If they were going to do it in Okinawa, we wouldn't be."  Mihara believes Konami and large-scale property developers may also bid for a domestic casino license.