By Emmanuel T. Erediano
emmanuel@mvariety.com
Variety News Staff
THE controversies surrounding the islands’ casino industry have once again been brought to the attention of the nation’s capital by the Washington Post.
The first time a Saipan casino made news on the U.S. mainland was in 2018, when Bloomberg Businessweek published a series of articles regarding alleged violations of federal law by the exclusive casino operator, Imperial Pacific International, and alleged corruption involving some CNMI officials.
The Posted news story dated Dec. 31, 2025 is titled, “A Tiny US Territory in the Pacific Doubles Down on a Giant Chinese Casino.”
Quoting lawyers representing creditors in the IPI bankruptcy case, the Post reported that “both Imperial Pacific and Kaneko’s company are ‘run by the same insiders, working together to ensure their debts are erased without making anyone they harmed … whole.’”
Hiroshi Kaneko is listed as the “manager” of Team King Investment (CNMI) LLC in the annual limited liability company report filed Feb. 4, 2025, with the CNMI Department of Commerce’s Registrar of Corporations, a copy of which was obtained by Variety in March 2025. The agent listed in the report is Ning Ning Song.
Kaneko (formerly known as Jin Song), 59, has served as executive director of Fullsun International Holdings Group Co., Limited since July 26, 2023, before the company was renamed Japan Kyosei Group Co. Ltd., the parent company of Kyosei Bank, which, according to the Post, “is facing deepening financial and legal problems in Tokyo.”
According to the Post, Kaneko and Team King Investment have long-standing ties to IPI owner Cui Lijie, 67, and her son, Ji Xiaobo.
But Louie Yanza, the attorney representing Kaneko in the CNMI, said that Team King Investment, which now owns the casino assets on Saipan, “has no relationship or affiliation” with Cui and IPI and is a “good faith buyer.”
The Post reported that although it is unclear how Ji and Kaneko met, they have maintained a business relationship for years. Yanza also said that Kaneko retired from Kyosei Bank to focus on the Saipan casino, but maintains a “collaborative relationship” with the company.
“With the backing of Kyosei Bank, the resort will undoubtedly reopen as promised by both Kyosei Bank and Mr. Kaneko to the Saipan government,” the Post quoted Yanza as saying.
The Post reported that Kaneko arrived on Saipan days after the passing of Gov. Arnold I. Palacios and met with Lt. Gov. Dennis Mendiola in September. Following that meeting, Mendiola posted on his Facebook page, encouraging the government to “streamline the process” of reopening the resort.
“That means providing support with permitting and regulatory requirements, ensuring full compliance with the law,” Mendiola wrote. “It’s our responsibility to help see it through to completion.”
He later told the Post, “My office or the administration…cannot guarantee outcomes for any private project. We remain committed to transparency, lawful process, and protecting the public interest.”
Emmanuel “Arnold” Erediano has a bachelor of science degree in Journalism. He started his career as police beat reporter. Loves to cook. Eats death threats for breakfast.
