This just in …

Osaka and Tokyo are the world’s fourth- and seventh-most livable cities according to the Economist Intelligence Unit. (Tops is Vienna.) This is great news for casino companies like Las Vegas Sands and MGM Resorts International that want to set up business in Japan and, specifically, in those cities. “The upsides of these cities tend to be fully realized. You get a good collection of cultural activities, you get good access to healthcare and education. But you don’t get a lot of downsides that tend to come with big cities, things like traffic congestion, crime problems and general wear and tear,” explained Duncan Innes-Ker, EIU regional director for Asia. Casino-friendly Singapore checked in at number 38 and coveted market New York City notched a 58th-place ranking. No U.S. city cracked the top ten, although Canada did thrice. And the worst city? For the seventh time running, Damascus won the race to the bottom, in a convincing championship. As for casino companies looking to expand into Japan, they can honestly say they’re moving up in the world.