Okada Urges Japanese Gaming OK

Kazuo Okada, chairman of Universal Entertainment and Aruze America, last month criticized the Japanese government for not moving forward with gaming legalization to help the country recover from the recession.

“In Japan, politicians are very weak in showing the will to do something,” said Okada. “If a politician who displayed such a will were to emerge, the legislation would likely be passed at once.”

Okada was hoping that new Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama would be that politician.             

Hatoyama’s Democratic Party took over the government from the Liberal Democratic Party earlier this year. But Hatoyama’s party hasn’t taken up the issue, despite falling tax revenue and rising unemployment in Japan.

Okada is preparing to open a casino in Manila’s Entertainment City. The Philippine government has backed off its demand to open a $1 billion resort, and will permit Okada to open with a less-expensive property. But Okada wants the government to waive a 40 percent limit on foreign ownership of companies.

“If approvals are made officially, we are ready to begin construction quickly,” he said.