Snap Japan election would postpone IR law to 2018

On Sunday, news agencies Reuters and Bloomberg News respectively reported that Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe might call an early election in the coming weeks.

Govertsen told GGRAsia that, regardless of whether that happened, Japan’s parliament was unlikely to see the IR Implementation Bill bill tabled before legislators tackled a bill concerning problem gaming.

" We therefore expect the IR bill to be dealt with in 2018, which, in theory, might have a cleaner (more simple) legislative slate,” Govertsen wrote in his email to GGRAsia.

Reuters quoted anonymous sources as saying that Abe told his colleagues in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its junior coalition partner Komeito of his intention to dissolve the lower house of the Japanese parliament after the 2017 extraordinary session due to start on September 28.

Govertsen suggested a prolonged legislative process could actually result in better-quality legislation. "As contemplated today, the IR bill seems to be heading down a track of being far too restrictive. A longer-dated passage of the IR bill could allow the industry and the legislature, via the expert panel, to draft a more appropriate IR Implementation bill that can be a win-win for all interested parties,” Govertsen commented.

Source: GMB / GGR Asia