Japan To Delay Policy For Choosing Resort Host
The Japan casino bribery scandal has shaken the entire Japanese government, and the consequences of the action continue to unravel every day.
Now the government will delay the entire process for choosing host cities for the project following the arrest of ruling-party lawmaker Tsukasa Akimoto.
The original plans of the government were to use the month of February to determine guidelines for choosing cities. However, officials are considering postponing the process until the scandal blows out.
Last month, prosecutors arrested Akimoto on suspicion he accepted several bribes from a Chinese company who sought to build a casino in Japan. The former Liberal Democratic Party Lawmaker was in charge of casino policy and development.
The news of his arrest was fuel to public opposition to the casino deals. The government hopes to add specific limiting rules to the basic casino policy relating to how operators contact government officials.
The Need For Casino Resorts In Japan
A reducing population and a shrinking tax base along with a weak economy have pushed the Japanese government to look for other alternatives to bolster its economy. The government have considered integrated resorts as a viable alternative. These resorts will follow the Las Vegas-style, and they will include casinos, conference centers, restaurants, shopping centers and so on.
The Japanese had hoped to open the casinos in the mid-2020s, but the emergence of the bribery scandal will push back the projects to a further date.
Despite the fall out of the scandal, the government plans to accept hosting bids from municipalities. The main bidders include some of the largest cities in Japan; Osaka, Yokohama, and Tokyo. Other smaller prefectures like Wakayamawere and Nagasaki are also putting in bids.
