Speculation and doubts surrounding the suddenly emerging
Posted: Tue Jul 01, 2025 10:48 am
Before reconstruction comes recovery, and before recovery comes relief. Victims of the Great East Japan Earthquake want relief for the lives of the disaster-stricken areas, rather than a rosy reconstruction plan, and this is what the public also wants.
Then, the "Reconstruction Casino Concept" emerged. The Miyagi Prefecture "Natori City Eastern Earthquake Disaster Reconstruction Association" (Chairman Suzuki Eiji) put together a construction plan for a stay-type tourist city, including a casino, centered around Sendai Airport, called the "Reconstruction Sendai Airport Resort Concept," and held a symposium on June 26th. The reconstruction casino is said to be attracting wealthy Chinese.
In concert with this, five days prior to the event, the remove background image cross-party Diet members "International Tourism Industry Promotion Diet Members League" (commonly known as the Casino Diet Members League, Chairman: Kazunari Koga) held a general meeting and raised their voices, saying, "We must submit a casino bill in the reconstruction plan!" The aim is to realize a reconstruction casino under the pretext that casino revenues will be used as a reconstruction fund. Former Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama also attended the general meeting.
Gambling, except for publicly operated gambling, is prohibited by the Criminal Code. Pachinko, which the National Police Agency has practically approved with the backing of revenue from gaming machine testing fees and amakudari to industry associations, has grown into a huge industry since the end of the war. Casino legislation is premised on consistency with pachinko, which is under the jurisdiction of the Entertainment and Amusement Business Law. In addition, even before the legal debate, there is the issue of reconciling the conflict between the ministries' interests.
So, the idea is that adding the word "reconstruction" to the mix might provide a breakthrough.
However, this "brand" has casino advocates in other prefectures wondering, "Is it limited to Sendai?" and "Won't negotiations with central government agencies go awry?" However, these concerns are not openly expressed. "Right now, the reconstruction of Tohoku is the 'banner of victory.' If we oppose it, we will become 'enemies of the emperor'" (a casino official). Incidentally, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism will request the necessary expenses to turn the Sanriku region into an international tourist destination in this year's second supplementary budget.
Then, the "Reconstruction Casino Concept" emerged. The Miyagi Prefecture "Natori City Eastern Earthquake Disaster Reconstruction Association" (Chairman Suzuki Eiji) put together a construction plan for a stay-type tourist city, including a casino, centered around Sendai Airport, called the "Reconstruction Sendai Airport Resort Concept," and held a symposium on June 26th. The reconstruction casino is said to be attracting wealthy Chinese.
In concert with this, five days prior to the event, the remove background image cross-party Diet members "International Tourism Industry Promotion Diet Members League" (commonly known as the Casino Diet Members League, Chairman: Kazunari Koga) held a general meeting and raised their voices, saying, "We must submit a casino bill in the reconstruction plan!" The aim is to realize a reconstruction casino under the pretext that casino revenues will be used as a reconstruction fund. Former Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama also attended the general meeting.
Gambling, except for publicly operated gambling, is prohibited by the Criminal Code. Pachinko, which the National Police Agency has practically approved with the backing of revenue from gaming machine testing fees and amakudari to industry associations, has grown into a huge industry since the end of the war. Casino legislation is premised on consistency with pachinko, which is under the jurisdiction of the Entertainment and Amusement Business Law. In addition, even before the legal debate, there is the issue of reconciling the conflict between the ministries' interests.
So, the idea is that adding the word "reconstruction" to the mix might provide a breakthrough.
However, this "brand" has casino advocates in other prefectures wondering, "Is it limited to Sendai?" and "Won't negotiations with central government agencies go awry?" However, these concerns are not openly expressed. "Right now, the reconstruction of Tohoku is the 'banner of victory.' If we oppose it, we will become 'enemies of the emperor'" (a casino official). Incidentally, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism will request the necessary expenses to turn the Sanriku region into an international tourist destination in this year's second supplementary budget.