A cross-party meeting to discuss the possibility of opening the Japanese market to casinos, was held yesterday between the largest party the Democrats (DPJ) and second-largest group the Liberal Democrats (LDP).
The latter had show itself united in its support of casinos in the country while the Democrats’ ranks still had dissenters concerned about addiction.
Both parties gave assurances of their determination to continue to work on the presentation of a non-partisan bill before the Japanese parliament, the Diet in the current session. The bill would seek government approval of regional casinos which would be specified in the text of applications lodged by regional governments in August of last year.
Although the Democrats’ meeting yesterday did not reach the consensus hoped for in favour of casinos, it heard assurances from members of the Cabinet, Department of Law and Department of Land Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, that they would make an exception in the case of casinos to permit them to fall under new gambling laws.
