Inside Asian Gaming

July 2011 | INSIDE ASIAN GAMING 45 Market Outlook body, regulation and authorisation of casino workers and terms and restrictions for public entry to casinos. Ex-Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama— the first-ever premier from the modern DemocraticPartyofJapan—alsoparticipated at the meeting. Mr Hatoyama became premier in September 2009 on a wave of popular enthusiasm for reform but resigned after just nine months in June 2010, citing he had broken a campaign promise to close an American military base on the island of Okinawa. He told the Integrated Resort and Casino Diet Member Association: “We have come to a certain substantial point in terms of the realisation of this Casino Bill. We request all of you to further support the IR and Casino Diet Member Association, although there are certain issues to be overcome like co- existence with the horse racing industry.” Representative Sakihito Ozawa of the Democratic Party of Japan said in a closing speech at the meeting: “I do think that our responsibility is to have the Bill completed, although there are still many relevant and important issues to be solved such as the [post-earthquake infrastructure] recovery plan and the illegality waiver [in terms of creating a special‘casino zone’],”reported GCM-NEWS. Tokyo-based GCM-NEWS is founded by Gaming Capital Management Inc, Japan’s leading casino and amusement media group, offering comprehensive coverage of developments in the casino and gaming sectors. GCM Inc’s website can be viewed at www.gaming-capital.com. Former Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama (left of picture) discusses the options for casinos in Japan at a meeting in Tokyo on 21st June