March 4, 2015
The Japan Federation of Bar Associations (JFBA) on March 3 held a rally in the Diet building to oppose pro-casino Dietmembers’ move to propose a bill again to lift the ban on casino gambling.
A cross-party lawmakers’ group submitted a bill to legalize casinos to the Diet in December 2013. The bill, however, was dismissed following the dissolution of the House of Representatives in November 2014.
The JFBA in May last year published a statement calling for the killing of the casino bill.
In the rally, JFBA Vice President Asaoka Mie cited news reports that Prime Minister Abe Shinzo seeks to build two casino facilities before the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Indicating serious concern for the prime minister’s move, she stressed the need to block such an attempt as it will open the way for the decriminalization of casinos.
Representatives of various organizations, including women’s organizations, unions, and religious groups, expressed their opposition to the legalization of casino gambling.
Japanese Communist Party members of the House of Representatives Shiokawa Tetsuya, Shimizu Tadashi, and Hatano Kimie took part in the rally.
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An opinion poll conducted by the Nippon Research Center has found that more and more people are opposing the legalization of casinos. According to the poll results, the percentage of respondents who are against their legalization increased from 34.8% to 40.5% during the period between September and November last year.
As to reasons for opposing casinos, the percentage of those who mentioned the probable increase in gambling addicts rose to 57% from 49.6% during the same period.
Past related articles
> Pushed by JCP, Abe promises to resign as advisor to pro-casino Dietmembers’ group [October 9, 2014]
> Lawyers hold rally to oppose bill to legalize casinos [October 5, 2014]
> Legalization of casinos will increase rate of gambling addiction in Japan [August 25, 2014]
A cross-party lawmakers’ group submitted a bill to legalize casinos to the Diet in December 2013. The bill, however, was dismissed following the dissolution of the House of Representatives in November 2014.
The JFBA in May last year published a statement calling for the killing of the casino bill.
In the rally, JFBA Vice President Asaoka Mie cited news reports that Prime Minister Abe Shinzo seeks to build two casino facilities before the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Indicating serious concern for the prime minister’s move, she stressed the need to block such an attempt as it will open the way for the decriminalization of casinos.
Representatives of various organizations, including women’s organizations, unions, and religious groups, expressed their opposition to the legalization of casino gambling.
Japanese Communist Party members of the House of Representatives Shiokawa Tetsuya, Shimizu Tadashi, and Hatano Kimie took part in the rally.
***
An opinion poll conducted by the Nippon Research Center has found that more and more people are opposing the legalization of casinos. According to the poll results, the percentage of respondents who are against their legalization increased from 34.8% to 40.5% during the period between September and November last year.
As to reasons for opposing casinos, the percentage of those who mentioned the probable increase in gambling addicts rose to 57% from 49.6% during the same period.
Past related articles
> Pushed by JCP, Abe promises to resign as advisor to pro-casino Dietmembers’ group [October 9, 2014]
> Lawyers hold rally to oppose bill to legalize casinos [October 5, 2014]
> Legalization of casinos will increase rate of gambling addiction in Japan [August 25, 2014]
