LDP executive opposes casino legalization
April 13, 2015
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2015 April 8 - 14 [SOCIAL ISSUES]
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A Liberal Democratic Party Dietmember at a meeting of the House of Councilors Committee on Financial Affairs on April 7 used all his 20-minute question time to oppose a move to legalize casino gambling.
At present, a cross-party league of parliamentarians is preparing for a bill to be submitted to the current session of the Diet in order to lift the ban on casinos. The LDP has already completed inner-party procedures for submitting the lawmaker-initiated bill.
Opposing the decision made at the top, LDP Deputy Secretary-General Nishida Shoji said, “I’ve been objecting to (casinos) all along.”
He expressed concern that casinos will cause an increase in gambling addiction and would also provide a venue for money laundering, bribery, and tax evasion. “Casinos are a breeding ground for crime,” said Nishida.
National Police Agency and Finance Ministry officials replied to the LDP lawmaker that crime prevention measures will be discussed and enshrined into law, but Nishida argued back, saying, “Let’s say Japan has transparent rules for casinos, then who wants to gamble in such a glass-walled place?”
Democratic Party member of the Upper House Maekawa Kiyoshige at the same committee meeting also opposed the legalization of casino businesses, saying, “Casinos will create profits only for bookies and operators, it is always ordinary citizens who will lose money. Casino gambling is like a machine causing harm to consumers.”
The pro-casino parliamentarians’ league is aiming to introduce the casino bill and have it enacted in this Diet session. However, many people oppose the legalization of the casino industry. Under such circumstances, anti-casino legislators, in addition to Japanese Communist Party Diemembers, finally began expressing their opinions in the Diet.
Past related articles:
> Japan bar association holds rally to oppose legalization of casinos [March 4, 2015]
> JCP Daimon in public meeting opposes legalization of casino operations [October 19, 2014]
> 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 casino [October 5, 2014]
> JCP calls for support for gambling addicts and killing of bill to OK casinos [April 29, 2014]
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