Japan | Scandal may delay policy for selecting casino cities

The formation of a policy for selecting casino resort cities in Japan may be delayed following the arrest of a ruling party lawmaker on suspicion of receiving bribes from a Chinese company seeking to invest in the casino industry.

Initially, a set of guidelines for selecting host cities was to be published this month to provide a framework for the actual selection to take place.

However, as cited in Japanese media reports, authorities are planning to postpone the release of the final draft.

Japan’s former defense minister Takeshi Iwaya has denied receiving money from a Chinese company involved in a casino bribery scandal. Iwaya, a ruling Liberal Democratic Party member who has a seat in the Lower House, was one of five lawmakers questioned by Tokyo prosecutors on a voluntary basis regarding their alleged receipt of cash from a Shenzhen-based company, reported The Japan Times.

Part of the government’s plan is to minimize the negative impact of these casino resorts, once developed.

The government had already authorized licenses to build three integrated resorts and is officially receiving bids from localities in 2021. Leading the race to obtain a license are Osaka, Yokohama, and Tokyo.

Government estimates show that it would take three to four years for a casino resort to be developed. LV