The move to legalize casino gambling in Japan took another hit on Monday as proponents have resigned themselves to a fresh round of delays, citing divisions within the ruling coalition over what has become controversial and polarizing legislation.
Pro-casino lawmakers said last week they would resubmit a previously failed bill by Tuesday, the end of the fiscal year. But they backed away from that plan on Monday as efforts continued to get the backing of the junior partner in Prime Minister Shinzo Abe‘s coalition.
Takeshi Iwaya, a senior member of the group from Abe’s Liberal Democratic Party, told Reuters that it’s crucial for all parties in the issue to be “on the same page” before proceeding. Any dissension within the ranks can be considered a red flag, which is why the the group decided to hold off on submitting the bill until the group can convey a united front on the matter.
Iwaya didn’t specify when the group might submit the bill, but a person involved in the process told Reuters that it could be just a matter of weeks – no later than early April – “as soon as the groundwork is done.”
