Noriko Tanaka, President of the Association, was invited as a witness to the House of Representatives Cabinet Committee's deliberation on the “Basic Law on Measures against Problem Gambling, etc.”. The full text of her written opinion is posted below.

A video of the deliberations can be viewed here.
House of Representatives Internet Live Broadcast Basic Bill on Measures against Gambling and Other Addictions (196th Diet, House of Representatives 20)

House of Representatives Cabinet Committee Handouts

May 24, 2008
The Society Concerned about Gambling Addiction
Representative Director Noriko Tanaka

Three points I would like to share with you today
*The role and support of private organizations
*Strengthening of cooperation system
*Current status of the budget

My name is Noriko Tanaka, Representative Director of The Society Concerned about Gambling Addiction.
I am a recovering gambler myself,
I am also a recovering gambler myself, and have a family history of addiction, including a grandfather, father, and husband.
I am now using these experiences to provide support to those who suffer from gambling addiction and their families.
Thank you very much for your kind attention.
Since our time is short today, I would like to focus on three main points.

First of all, I would like to discuss the role and support of private organizations.
Since the IR Implementation Law was passed in December 2016, gambling addiction has suddenly attracted attention,
Mental health and welfare centers and other government offices in various regions, as well as the operators of public sports and amusement facilities,
In addition, operators of public sports and amusement facilities have set up telephone consultation services.
As a result, some people were connected to support services at an early stage,
On the other hand, for more serious cases, the reality is that the telephone consultation service is often ignored.

For example, if you don't give him money,
*Violence or intentionally shouting loudly so that the neighbors can hear.
*They will send threatening videos of themselves hanging themselves and saying, “I'm going to kill myself now! They send threatening videos of themselves hanging themselves and saying “I'm going to kill myself now!
*The family is forced to live in a car because of the violent behavior and destruction of the house.
Whenever we consulted with the government, medical care providers, and other telephone consultation services, we were always told to “bring the person in person”,
The family members have no way to help.
In addition, even if they consult with the police, all they get is a lecture from the person in question.

These are all cases we have dealt with.
We have received no support from any source and have no budget,
We are dealing with these high-risk cases by making donations to other families with the same problems.
I, as such an old lady, am the one who is wielding a knife and acting out, and I am the one who is trying to persuade the parties involved,
I encourage them to enter a medical or recovery facility, and drive them there in my own car,
We then provide safety measures and independence support for the family members.

In some cases, the patient attempted suicide.
In cooperation with his family, we managed to save his life and took him to an emergency hospital,
However, the emergency department refused to cooperate with the psychiatry department.

We begged him to stay in the hospital, but he was not admitted and ended up committing suicide,
We have had the bitter experience of not being able to save a life that could have been saved.
The current measures against addiction leave out support for such a serious problem,
The current measures against addictions are only strengthening entrance measures such as telephone counseling and several sessions of cognitive-behavioral therapy, leaving the support for such serious problems unattended to, and there is a disconnect between the measures and our reality.
(For your reference, the following diagram illustrates the current issues. (Created by the Association for Gambling Addiction Studies)





Second, I would like to mention “strengthening cooperation”.
When measures against gambling addiction are discussed along with the casino debate
We are puzzled by the fact that people are only calling for the “strengthening of medical care.
Gambling addiction, like alcohol, does not impair physical health,
And in the absence of a cure, the role of medical treatment is minimal.

Rather, gambling addiction is a financial problem, such as multiple debts,
Gambling addiction is far more likely to be caused by financial problems, such as multiple debts, and the crimes that accompany them.
The following are some examples of cases in which the motive was a gambling problem, which are reported in the news every day,
*5/18/18 Credit union employee received 3.51 million yen. The money was used for pachinko.
*5/21, a former deputy manager of a fruit and vegetable wholesale company received 250 million yen in eight years. The money was used for gambling.
*5/21 6.88 million yen in school lunch money was received by an elementary school employee. The money was used for pachinko and slot machines.
The amount was used for pachinko and slot machines.
For your reference, the following is a list of incidents that the Association has been aware of through news reports since January 2018.

Every day, we receive inquiries about “embezzlement,” “theft,” “shoplifting,” and so on,
Behind these incidents are grieving families.
Last December, a 92-year-old father beat his eldest son, who was 65 years old and unemployed, to death with a hammer,
He was 65 years old, unemployed, and was begging for his father's pension.

Gambling addiction is a problem that requires cooperation with lawyers, judicial scriveners, and the police, as well as,
We feel that it is urgent to educate people in the workplace on the correct knowledge and prevention of gambling addiction in cooperation with lawyers, judicial scriveners, and the police.

More recently, we have also been receiving advice from a high school foster care teacher who said, “I have a student with a gambling problem at home who doesn't want to go home.”
We have also started to receive consultations such as “I have a student with a gambling problem at home who does not want to go home,
It is now known that gambling addiction is involved in a small percentage of dropout problems at universities and other institutions.
Cooperation with the educational field is also indispensable.

Furthermore, gambling addiction unfortunately often results in the person involved not recovering,
In such cases, the wife and children who are left behind fall into poverty, and the problem propagates to the children's generation.
Coordination with single-parent support and childcare support is also necessary.

Strengthening only medical care and administration also creates other harmful effects.
In private recovery facilities for gambling addicts, recovering addicts are active as supporters,
They are rewarding, making a living, and reintegrating into society as taxpayers.
Medical and administrative biased support leads to depriving these recovering addicts of their place in society.

When considering measures against gambling addiction, always private organizations, private recovery facilities,
Lawyers, judicial scriveners, police, children's homes, suicide prevention, school education, corporate education, and local communities, including self-help groups,
Of course, a wide range of cooperation is necessary, including government, medical care, and the gambling industry.

(For your reference, please find attached a joint survey conducted by the University of Tsukuba and the Association on families of gamblers with multiple debts, dropout problems, and childcare problems.
(Source: “University of Tsukuba, Morita, Nobuaki et al. From the actual situation and assistance needs of families of persons with gambling disorders”)















Finally, the current state of the budget.
Of the 610 million yen budgeted by the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare for addiction prevention in FY 2018, grants provided directly to private organizations are,
18 million yen for all alcohol, drug, and gambling organizations combined.

In addition, in subsidizing private organizations through the Community Life Support Program, which is a 50-50 split between the national government, prefectures, and government-designated cities,
The number of municipalities that responded that they are considering subsidizing gambling addiction support groups was 19/67, according to a telephone survey by the Association and other organizations, and the implementation rate was 28%,
According to a telephone survey conducted by the Association and other organizations, 19/67 municipalities responded that they are considering subsidizing gambling addiction support groups, with a 28% implementation rate and amounts ranging from 30,000 yen to 200,000 yen.

Among them, there were some that the government would do all the planning, and others that only half of the project would be subsidized, which were not really available,
Some of the grants were not actually available, such as those that only subsidize half of the project.

And interestingly, you have come forward with IR early on,
Hokkaido, Tokyo, Yokohama, Osaka, Wakayama, and Nagasaki prefectures have given zero response to this private subsidy.

We are not making a verbal promise that “We will do everything we can to combat gambling addiction!” We will not be reassured until you show us the measures you are going to take and the size of your budget,
We will not be reassured until you show us how the measures should be implemented, including contributions to the cost of the measures, and the scale of the budget.
We cannot be reassured unless you show us how you will implement the measures, including the contribution to the cost of the measures, and the size of your budget.

In addition, there is no provision for the calculation of the cost of the current social burden caused by gambling addiction, or the cost of conducting a survey of the actual situation, or what kind of measures are necessary.
I am concerned about the cost of conducting a survey of the actual situation, and I am not sure if solid measures can really be taken. I am concerned.

There is also the issue of conflict of interest when the gambling industry directly subsidizes private organizations and researchers,
It is still recommended that the government manage a portion of the proceeds in the form of taxes, and establish a system to share the costs of addiction prevention measures,
I think this is the standard method worldwide.
I would like to ask for your consideration in developing measures against gambling addiction.

Last but not least, this is the most significant step forward in the fight against gambling and other forms of addiction,
What is the most significant step forward in the fight against gambling and other forms of addiction, and how did the stakeholders' meeting come to fruition, which will play an important role in the preparation of the basic plan?
I would like to thank Dr. Nakatani and the other members of the Gambling Addiction Countermeasures Working Group of the ruling party, as well as the opposition party members who are familiar with this issue,
I would like to express my sincere appreciation to Dr. Nakatani and the other members of the ruling party's Gambling Addiction Task Force, as well as the opposition party members who are familiar with this issue.

It is the people affected by the problem of gambling addiction and their families who are crying out for help.
I sincerely hope that you will incorporate as many voices of the people affected and their families into the bill.
There are many more things I would like to say, but I would be happy to answer your questions during the Q&A session.
Thank you very much.

House of Representatives Cabinet Committee Handout