Japan to Legalize Casinos?

If you’ve ever visited Japan but been disappointed by their lack of casinos, you may want to start planning a trip for the future. It appears as though the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan is now considering legalizing casino gambling as early as June 2008.

A BIG BOOST

Not only is the Liberal Democratic Party the leading party of the country, but they also believe that casinos will increase tourism and tax revenues, and generally help to boost the economy. It will also give foreign investors a chance to get in on the ground floor, since Japanese companies may not be ready to take on such a massive operation.

It is estimated that just three major casinos could generate up to 4.3 billion Euros for the nation’s treasury, not to mention the number of jobs that it would generate. And since Japan has recently faced a decline in population and tax revenues, they need all the economic stimulation that they can get.

IF YOU CAN’T BEAT ‘EM…

By bringing in casinos, Japan would be following the model successfully adopted by places like Macau and Singapore. Macau has been so successful, in fact, that it now outstrips Las Vegas as the world’s most popular gambling destination.

And with Russia and China experiencing large economic growth, there’s even the possibility of drawing large crowds of gambling enthusiasts from these nations. If so, revenue for the casinos could be even greater than initially projected.

To discourage locals from gambling, however, the government might also consider charging an entrance fee.

ON A PERSONAL NOTE

And while I’m thinking about it, here are 3 really cool things to come out of Japan:

1. Starblazers - The animated Japanese film turned American cartoon series. It still has about the coolest opening theme of all time. Hurry, Starforce!

2. Battle Royale - The movie deals with a group of teenage classmates who are placed on an island and forced to fight to the death at the behest of the Japanese government. Highly controversial and highly entertaining. Nobody does crazy like the Japanese.

3. Ninja Warrior - If you haven’t seen this wacky Japanese television show, check it out on the G4 channel. Brave men and women take on a treacherous obstacle course for the amusement of the public.

Japan to Legalize Casinos?