Abe wins general election raising hopes for casino bill

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has won a big win in general elections and pledged to drive through his economic reform plan, raising hopes a bill to liberalize the country’s casino market may be back on the agenda.

The LDP and its junior partner, the Komeito party, won 326 seats in Sunday's poll to maintain a two-thirds majority. That was unchanged from the coalition tally before the poll, although the LDP itself slipped slightly to 291 seats from 295. However, turnout was a record low.

The casino bill was put on hold indefinitely last month amidst a political scandal that prompted Abe to dissolve parliament and call snap elections. Abe is a strong proponent of the bill as a key pillar in his plans to boost tourism revenue.

 

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