June 6, 2013

Japanese Communist Party Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly member Shimizu Hideko on June 5 at an economy committee meeting of the assembly said that Tokyo should not construct facilities for the casino business which is currently prohibited in Japan.

Tokyo Governor Inose Naoki on June 3 in his policy speech declared that he will work to invite casino operators to Tokyo. Tokyo’s five-year plan for the promotion of tourism released in May also states that casinos will be a “good tourist revenue resource”, and the metropolitan government will call on the Diet to lift the ban on casino gambling.

Shimizu asked an official in charge of tourism promotion why he thinks casino gambling is prohibited in the Criminal Code. The official merely replied, “A casino facility will be a good tourist revenue resource” just as stated in the plan.

Pointing out that introducing casino gambling was not discussed when drawing up the plan, the JCP assemblywoman asked the official to explain why and how building a casino was later included in the plan. The official only said, “We compiled the plan based on a report by an advisory council.”

Related past articles
> Ban on casino gambling should be lifted: Tokyo governor [March 15, 2013]
> Construction of casinos in disaster-hit region is impermissible: JCP Daimon [December 7, 2011]