Japan’s ruling coalition has reaffirmed a policy aim of not imposing tax on casino winnings for non-residents.
The goal was set out in a policy statement publicised on December 19 by the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its junior coalition partner the Japan Innovation Party, and reviewed by GGRAsia’s Japan correspondent.
In December 2020, Japan’s then governing coalition – the LDP and Komeito – had announced an outline tax reform plan for the fiscal year 2021 including a proposal that foreign visitors using any of the country’s planned casinos should not be taxed on any winnings.
In the statement this December, the LDP and the Innovation Party noted regarding the country’s “tax reform outline for financial year 2026” that it was “important” to set down proposals “early, as the opening of Japan’s first casino, MGM Osaka… is scheduled to take place in autumn 2030”.
This was the first such policy statement since in October Sanae Takaichi became Japan’s first female prime minister amid a coalition pact involving the LDP and the Innovation Party, which supports the country’s ongoing policy of having integrated resorts (IRs) with casinos.
Japan’s national government made public on December 17 a draft Cabinet order setting out May 6, 2027 as the likely start date of a new application round for communities that wish to host an IR.
