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© KYODOOver 60% dissatisfied with casino law, Abe's response to heavy rain: poll
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theFritzX
No matter - Abe will be reelected easily. Theres no doubt about it.
SaikoPhysco
Sure.... I'd oppose Casino legislation if it included me having to pay Y2,000 every time I wanted to play. They should do the same for Pachinko.
thepersoniamnow
Hilarious!
I love how concerned people are about casinos because they play foreign games and use cards etc, and completely ignore that Japan is the worlds #1 gambling nation with pachinko at every corner.
Yubaru
Foreign games? Boat racing and horse racing are not native to Japan either ya'know?
Yubaru
Funny thing how folks here voice their displeasure. 60% are against this, but it never really affects Abe's personal polling numbers, it's somehow like they blame the LDP but give Abe a pass.
Screwed up if you ask me!
Dango bong
looks like they are dealing with gambling addiction the same way they are dealing with nicotine addiction: cashing in...
jcapan
We're against this and that!
Do you vote?
Most of us, no, can't be bothered. Some of us, yes, we voted for the LDP despite such things appearing in their party platforms during elections.
But we want to complain.
After all, shouganai, I ask you, what's the alternative?
We like our politics passive.
Meanwhile, once he revises the constitution wait for the 65 percent opposed to the move.
And why have you continuously voted in large LDP majorities cycle after cycle?
Shouganai yo!
voiceofokinawa
In 2017, about 29 million or, more precisely, 28,690,000 foreign tourists visited Japan. I wonder how many of them came for gambling purposes, though -- at pachinko parlors, race tracks, speed boat or cycling courses?. To be sure, most tourists visit Japan for sightseeing and taking a dip in Japanese culture, never for gambling.
So what's the meaning of lifting the ban on casino?
David Varnes
I remember asking someone in the last major Diet election what their POV was. They gladly said that they voted for the LDP candidate.
Why? I asked. Did you agree with the candidate's proposals?
No.
Did you agree with the candidate's party manifesto?
No.
Did you agree with the candidate as a person? Were they someone who you perhaps knew from a family or company connection?
No.
Then why did you vote for the LDP candidate?
Because the LDP wins. They are powerful, so I vote for them.
That was the only reason, and I suspect for quite a few voters, the thinking is the same.
Alexandre T. Ishii
From my experiences visiting casinos abroad I'm not against to Japan starts Casinos. What I don't admit is why this Abe government and his LDP lawmakers had to hurry this to be approved. Any pressure from Trump?
Akie
International joke again: Abe govt passed a bill that is opposed by majority Japanese people !
SaikoPhysco
Before Japan recently started to become a big tourist destination, Casinos were an idea to boost just that. Now Japan really does not need them. But that said, gambling is everywhere in Japan.... everywhere. So it is not like a Casino is really going to change anything. I just don't understand how people could be so paranoid. Do they have relatives that work in other gambling establishments and are afraid they'll lose jobs.
Ganbare Japan!
Those people who oppose the Integrated Resorts need to think clearly. Are they opposed to pachinko, slot, keirin, speedboat, horses? Of course not. Once the jobs, tourists and economic growth flows into the regional areas, they will become quiet.
PM Abe will NOT waver on this, or the needed Constitution Reform to secure Japans defense in the most dangerous times in 70 years. so these people should save their voice. Stay the course, PM Abe.
Wallace Fred
Based on past events,it's safe to say be the only democracies in East Asia are South Korea and Taiwan.
David Varnes
Actually, yes I am. Especially pachinko and 'slot'. Stinky money holes that seem to year after year drain money and occasionally kill the random innocent child that's left in the burning hot car while their parent goes inside to play just a 'little' pachinko.
sf2k
all those wasted lives in pachinko, and they thought casinos were a great idea? smh
thepersoniamnow
Yubaru
I think most people here would view these as “games” (boat and horse racing) etc and wouldn’t be surprised if they saw a Casino as actual gambling and thus more serious.
But the reality is that Pachinko and local gambling joints are given a free pass, so I’m not going to listen to some “expert” telling me how blackjack is bad, but pachinko isn’t.
jcapan
Translation: People who disagree with me (i.e. over 60 percent of my "fellow countrymen") are not thinking clearly. Those who agree presto--clarity of mind like nothing I've ever seen.
Democracy is so hard to understand. Abe and co. will not waver in enacting legislation opposed by a majority of his people. And that those who disagree with him should shut up.
Akie
Ganbare Japan!, why is Japan facing dangerous time since WW2 ? The reason is Abe and his policy toward neighbours ! Our neighbours didn't do anything to disrupt Japan's development in 70 years since the end of the war, but Japan under Abe is disrupting our neighbours' developments ! More money Abe putting into military means less money for the people; more hostility Abe has toward neighbours invites more mistrusts from surrounding nations. If you want to treat cancer, you have to cut cancer off, not the flesh surround it.
Yubaru
Here in Japan? Yes!
Hell no I didnt vote for the LDP, nor any of it's partner candidates either!
Yubaru
Right, he's going to get everyone addicted to gambling so he can pass his constitutional reforms!
How in world can anyone connect any lines between casino gambling and constitutional reform, this is beyond me!
papigiulio
No matter how bad the ratings are, 1 week before the election he will do some "good" things, appear like a saint and everyone is sold again.
Akie
Yubaru, both gambling and constitution "reform" are cheating business and against majority opinions.
thepersoniamnow
Blah blah on constitutional reform and what the “people want”. The whole situation can’t be permanent! Japan will have to complete its return to its own sovereignty.
All it would take is America saying it wouldn’t necessarily defend Japan at any cost and the whole public opinion would probably sway immediately. So would the talking heads on NHK start chirping a new tune. It’s this period of wealth and also denying that Japan is somewhat occupied and yet still has to make sovereign decisions, but can’t because this whole generation grew up this way....
Yubaru
This is where the people in Japan have to wake up, "against majority opinions", if this is so then why does Abe and the LDP continue to go against it?
You want to know why? Because while the collective may be against it overall, they are for the "individual" that represents them in the Diet. They love their local LDP rep, they don't like the LDP policies regarding these issues, but they love THEIR rep and refuse to look at the bigger picture and put the blame on THEIR rep for these policies.
Until the people step back, question their own reps, and demand accountability, nothing is going to change.
Opposition parties too have to change their tactics, they have to stop attacking the LDP's policies and go after the LDP reps and paint them as all part of the bigger puzzle.
Akie
thepersoniamnow, stop talking about sovereignty before you understand the difference between occupation and protection. Do you know why Abe wants change the constitution ? Because the bos said so. If Abe wants a true sovereign Japan, he should say no to change of the PEACE constitution.
Scrote
Those people who are against the casinos have not understood the benefits (to the LDP). For example, during the process of deciding where the casinos are built there will be ample opportunity for bribes, sorry "donations", to the LDP politicians making the decision.
Then, once the locations have been decided, large amounts will be spent on construction and, of course, the companies doing the building will also make hefty "donations" to the LDP.
I can't understand why Abe didn't explain these benefits more clearly.
Doyager
'Gambling addiction and a possible increase in crime', are fair threats - rightly opposed!
HollisBrown
¥6,000 isn’t it??
Kazumichi
PachiNKo stands for Privilege for North Korea?
Oh, South too?
thepersoniamnow
Akie
As a citizen I will talk about it as I please. I know the difference between occupation and sovereignty and is have lived in 4 continents and been to 5 and have seen the difference.
natsu823
Dissatisfied now next month satisfied.
All will be forgotten by Japanese people.
MarkX
David Varnes, you hit the nail on the head. Japan loves a winner, and they loathe to waste their vote on someone who might not win.
On a side note, if the damn Communist party could ever get around to changing its name, they might have a chance of making inroads.
Kaerimashita
Casinos, they resent the foreign ownership and the fact that they see big money making more big money. Won't lead to a rise in crime at all.
Rais - all he did was pick up a spade and an umbrella.
smithinjapan
Doesn't matter. The Sheeple will just shrug and let him do what he wants.
kurisupisu
Clearly,the people don’t want it but it will be forced on them-a bit like North Korea really....
Dman112
Someone, please explain to me how pachinkos are different than casinos. There are not restrictions on going to pachinkos.
Ricky Kaminski
Over 60 percent dissatisfactied doesn’t mean anything at all. Dissatisfaction you’d think would lead to actually doing something to change your lot, but think again. Gaman will prevail, so will expediency. The slow stroll to......?
Ricky Kaminski
Oops dissatisfied! Atsui ne!!!!
Strikebreaker555
It would've been a "dream come true" if everyone who are dissatisfied with Abe actually voted for another party, and not LDP which they usually vote for. Japan, you need to realize, that if you vote for any local LDP candidat (whom you like), you will inevitably vote for another Abe-term.
This is a matter of which party you like the most. Not which local candidat you care for the most. If you vote for a local LDP candidat, you vote for LDP. If you don't loke LDP, vote for another local candidat (whom you don't like, but you like his party).
Belrick
I think what they're really dissatisfied about is that they will have to pay to play!
DocCarlos
Pachinko and Japanese Slot machine Parlors Yakuza owned with North and South Korean partners out number all the Casinos in the world.
If Japan was worried about crime and gambling they would close and shutdown every one of them.
Also Japan does not want to hurt the Yakuza and Korean mafia.
Aoi Azuuri
Many Bills by Abe Government were problematic till the end of The Diet.
basis of their bills were full of Doubt.
Data or Testimony were Fake or Deception,
Nobody could proof Effectivity of those bill.
And,Answers from Ministers and Bureaucrats were only quibbling,dodging or evasion at Deliberation,
and wasted time.
despite blamable behaviour,
Their support rate had no big change.
because Those were out of interest of General public.
Japanese General Public is crazy for "Bread and Circuses" such as FIFA World Cup or Entertainment,moreover fickle,
Major Media followed it.
Steamrolling by Ruling Party were always concealed in the shade of other topics.
voiceofokinawa
Three international casino operators aiming at establishing casinos (called IR= integrated resorts, euphemistically) visited Okinawa and met with entrepreneurs and municipality heads, according to yesterday's Ryukyu Shinpo: one from a Chinese lottery and entertainment company, 500 Dot Com, and two from a UK lottery industry, Les Ambassadors Club, a long-established business since the 19th century.
Weren’t these lottery businesses behind the door lobbying for lifting the ban on casino in Japan, I wonder?
Netgrump
Ah, sounds like Dutchlish :)