Photo/Illutration Tsukasa Akimoto (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

In Japanese political lingo, Diet members who use their close ties with relevant ministries to advance the interests of specific industries or businesses are known as "zoku giin."

Those with vested interests in the pharmaceutical industry are called "koro zoku" ("koro" being short for the health ministry). "Doro zoku" denotes politicians pushing the construction industry's road, or "doro," projects.

The expression zoku giin is heard less frequently nowadays, probably because of their waning influence under the current administration's decidedly hands-on policymaking stance.

But that doesn't mean those legislators have disappeared. On the contrary, they are quite busy now trying to grab as much of the next fiscal year's spending budgets as possible for the ministries they are looking out for.

I don't know if there is such an expression as "casino zoku," but this would be a perfect fit for ruling Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker Tsukasa Akimoto.

Akimoto was the head of the Lower House Cabinet Committee when he championed a bill to legalize casinos, and later oversaw issues related to integrated casino-resort projects as a senior vice minister of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism and the Cabinet Office.

Akimoto was arrested by the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office on Dec. 25 on suspicion of taking cash bribes from a Chinese company seeking to get into the casino business in Japan.

If true, it's a classic, clear-cut case of corruption.

But Akimoto has denied taking the bribes, and a fierce battle with the prosecutors is bound to ensue.

A video-sharing site linked to Akimoto's official website indicates his passion for casino projects.

Already in 2011, he was quoted as saying, "We must lure money and goods to Japan," and stressed the casino's "tremendous latent power of attraction."

Perhaps it was this stance that made Akimoto invaluable to the Abe administration.

Casino projects have proceeded with many troubling questions being left deliberately unanswered, such as: Will this not lead to more people becoming addicted to gambling? Won't Japan end up only helping experienced foreign businesses make money?

And now, a new question has been added: Is there some funny casino money changing hands within our nation's political circles?

Akimoto's arrest has definitely reconfirmed the urgent need to stop and rethink casinos.

--The Asahi Shimbun, Dec. 26

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Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.