Less than two months ago, Typhoon Jebi ripped through western Japan and slammed a tanker into the only bridge leading to Kansai International Airport, forcing it to shut down.
Although the airport, built on an artificial island, quickly recovered and repairs to bridge are progressing, Osaka Gov. Ichiro Matsui and Osaka Mayor Hirofumi Yoshimura now face questions about the vulnerability to storm flooding at another man-made island: Yumeshima, where there are plans to build a casino resort.
The central government could grant Osaka one of three initial licenses to operate an integrated resort by the end of the year, and the city and prefecture are offering Yumeshima in Osaka Bay as the site.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.