Japan opposition demands transparency

The Wakayama Network to Consider the Casino Problem insists on legislative transparency.

Japan.- As the Congress of Japan continues to debate casino legislation, the opposition group – Wakayama Network to Consider the Casino Problem – has demanded further transparency. The anti-casinos group has demanded that the government provide transparency on Integrated Resorts’ legislation processes.

“Masayoshi Hatanaka – a citizen activist and former governmental candidate who serves as the secretary-general of the new organisation – officially requested the prefectural government to make available to the public several reports prepared by the auditing advisory firm Deloitte Tohmatsu regarding the economic viability of the plan to establish an IR at the Marina City location,” explained the official report.

The casino fee proposal will be added to the Integrated Resorts (IR) Implementation Bill, which is still delayed in the Japanese Congress. So far, legislators have revealed that they are preparing the bill limiting the licences in major cities such as Tokyo and Osaka, but it could also include multiple smaller licences in other locations.

The ordinary session of parliament is due to end on June 20th; the IR Implementation Bill may therefore be passed sometime between April and that date. Last year Japan saw an eleven per cent increase in foreign visitors between January and November. According to estimates from the Japan National Tourism Organisation, tourist numbers are likely to grow way beyond current figures, which could benefit casino activity once approved.