The Japanese accused Caesars of taking political bribes

Japanese weekly news magazine Shukan Bunshun attacked the casino Caesars Entertainment with accusations of bribing Japanese politicians through participation in social and political events.

You can get to such a meeting only by buying tickets, which, according to Shukan Bunshun, is a kind of bribe. The fact that the Caesars advisor purchased such tickets for many years is not in doubt. The dispute is over whether or not there is anything wrong with this practice. In Caesars responded that such activities do not violate Japanese laws.

Japan’s Political Funds Control Law prohibits donations to politicians by foreign citizens or companies, but the purchase of tickets to politicians’ social gatherings is not covered by the law.

Jan Jones Blackhurst, executive vice-president of public policy and corporate responsibility at Caesars Entertainment, responds to the Shukan Bunshun article as follows: “The recent Bunshun article, as it relates to Caesars Entertainment, focuses on the long-standing and legal practice in Japan of buying tickets to political fundraising events. We believe that the purchases of such tickets by our consultant over many years were made in accordance with the laws of Japan and other jurisdictions, as well as in accordance with our own robust compliance policies and procedures.”