Japan lower house OKs bill to crack down on illegal online gambling
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japan's House of Representatives passed Tuesday a bill to tighten regulations on illegal online gambling by prohibiting websites from guiding users to casino sites.
The revision to a law to tackle gambling addiction came amid recent revelations of the use of virtual casinos by a number of athletes and celebrities. According to a recent police survey, over 3 million people in the country are estimated to have gambled online.
Online casinos that can be easily accessed via smartphones are legally operated in some countries but are not authorized in Japan.
The revised law is expected to be enacted during the current parliamentary session through June 22.
The bill bans the opening of online casino websites as well as transmitting information aimed at attracting users to such sites. It also urges social media website operators to delete illegal information on their platforms.
According to the National Police Agency survey released in March, 3.37 million people in Japan are estimated to have gambled at online casinos, with around 1.24 trillion yen ($8.7 billion) being spent annually.
Accessing those sites and placing bets from Japan can result in fines of up to 500,000 yen. Habitual gamblers may face up to three years in prison under the country's Penal Code.
In Japan, lotteries and betting on publicly operated races, such as on horse, bicycle, boat and motorcycle racing, are legal.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Mainichi
3 hours ago
- The Mainichi
Japan sets guidelines for expansion of AI-controlled defense systems
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japan has set guidelines for the safe development of artificial intelligence-controlled defense systems, Defense Minister Gen Nakatani said Friday, aiming to address ethical concerns over weapons that can operate without direct human involvement. The guidelines outline steps to be followed in the research and development of such defense equipment, calling for careful classification of the systems, legal and policy reviews to guarantee compliance, and technical evaluations of operational reliability. Nakatani said the guidelines are intended to "reduce risks of using AI while maximizing its benefits," adding they are expected to "provide predictability" for the private sector, with his ministry to "promote research and development activities in a responsible way." Global concerns over autonomous weapons that use AI are mounting, as the deployment of combat drones has become commonplace in the war between Russia and Ukraine and in conflicts in the Middle East. The Defense Ministry will conduct reviews to check whether systems meet requirements such as clear human accountability and operational safety, while categorizing such weaponry as "high" or "low" risk. If categorized as high risk based on whether AI influences destructive capabilities, the ministry will assess whether the equipment complies with international and domestic laws, remains under human control, and is not a fully autonomous lethal weapon. The ministry unveiled its first-ever basic policy for the promotion of AI use last July, focusing on seven fields including detection and identification of military targets, command and control, and logistical support. Last May, the Foreign Ministry submitted a paper on Japan's stance on lethal autonomous weapons systems, or LAWS, to the United Nations, stating that a "human-centric" principle should be maintained and emerging technologies must be developed and used "in a responsible manner."
SoraNews24
4 hours ago
- SoraNews24
With arrests of foreigners in Japan increasing, police no longer guarantee in-person translators
Getting arrested in Japan is never a good idea, but it's about to become even more inadvisable for foreigners. Right now, if the Japanese police are formally questioning a person who doesn't speak Japanese, they're required to provide an interpreter, who will provide in-person translations at the police station where the suspect is being questioned. That's going to change, though, and it's going to change very soon, due to a revision of the National Police Agency's Criminal Investigation Protocols. According to the agency's statistics, 12,170 foreigners were arrested in Japan in 2024, the second consecutive annual increase and the largest amount in 15 years. In addition, there were over 9,500 other crimes determined to have been committed by foreigners with non-arrest outcomes, the agency says. With the need for interpreters increasing, an in-person interpreter will no longer be guaranteed, and instead foreigners who are being questioned may be assigned an off-site interpreter who interprets over the phone or via a voice chat device. Japan currently has around 4,200 police officers and personnel who are proficient in a foreign (i.e. non-Japanese) language, supported by a network of roughly 9,600 civilian interpreters who can be called in if their services are needed. That might seem like a sufficiently large talent pool, but those are the numbers of potential interpreters nationwide, and for all languages. As Japan's resident foreign national and inbound international traveler demographics diversify, both in country of origin and where they're living/traveling in Japan, the National Police Agency says investigators aren't always able to locate a nearby translator who not only speaks the specific native language of the suspect, but who's also available to come to the station on short notice. Under the new system, when an interpreter is not available, the suspect will be brought to the nearest police station for questioning, with an interpreter working remotely. For the police, the new system will allow for quicker questionings, which in turn could help in investigations of ongoing crimes or searches for at-large accomplices. From the perspective of the foreigner being questioned, though, this is a disadvantageous policy shift. Speaking over the phone adds an extra degree of difficulty to communication, increasing the possibility of linguistic mistranslation or psychological misinterpretation. It also makes it more difficult for interpreters to reference documents, photos, or other physical items that the police might be presenting to the foreign suspect as part of the questioning, which could be especially dangerous if the suspect is being asked to sign forms that they're unable to read by the officers in the room. It's worth noting that even under the new rules, the proscribed preferred option is for investigators to search for an interpreter who's available to work in-person. However, it appears the decision of when to call it quits and switch to a remote interpreter will be a judgement call to be made by local authorities. The new questioning protocols go into effect July 1. Source: NHK News Web, FNN Prime Online Top image: Pakutaso ● Want to hear about SoraNews24's latest articles as soon as they're published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
The Mainichi
5 hours ago
- The Mainichi
Japan Diet OKs defense cooperation pact with Philippines
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japan's parliament on Friday approved legislation for a defense cooperation agreement with the Philippines, as the two countries step up security ties with an eye on China's maritime assertiveness in nearby waters. The reciprocal access agreement eases restrictions on the movement of personnel between the two forces to facilitate joint drills and disaster relief operations, making the Philippines Japan's third RAA partner after Australia and Britain. The House of Councillors, Japan's upper chamber, approved the pact after the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of the Diet, endorsed it last month. The two Asian countries signed the deal in July last year during two-plus-two ministerial security talks in Manila. Tokyo and Manila share concerns over Beijing's maritime activities, as Chinese vessels have clashed with Philippine ships near disputed shoals in the South China Sea and repeatedly entered waters around the Japan-controlled, China-claimed Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea. On Friday, Japan's upper house also approved an acquisition and cross-servicing agreement with Italy to streamline procedures for providing supplies and services such as food, fuel, ammunition and repair work between their forces.
