Biggest concerns of international IR operators apparently have been put to rest
Akira Amari, the head of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s Research Commission on the Tax System, has clarified that the proposed tax on the winnings of overseas gamblers at Japan’s future IRs will not be imposed, following suggestions that emerged from the National Tax Agency bureaucracy, with the support of the Ministry of Finance.
“It would be meaningless if no one comes to the IRs after building them,” Amari told reporters, adding that Japan’s casino taxation policies must be “on par with international standards.” The Ministry of Finance also wants Japan residents to report their gambling winnings as “temporary income.”
In this way, one of the biggest concerns of international IR operators has now apparently been put to rest in Japan, as the proposal to tax the casino winnings of foreign visitors created uneasiness in the industry from the first time it was brought to public attention in June 2018, during the deliberations over the IR Implementation Bill. Other aspects of how IRs in Japan will be taxed remains to be determined, but these decisions are expected soon.
