TOKYO/SHENZHEN -- Online sports lottery provider 500.com suddenly finds itself in the hot seat in Japan. The Chinese company is suspected of bribing Tsukasa Akimoto, a Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker deeply involved in crafting the country's gaming policy, who Tokyo prosecutors arrested on Wednesday.
500.com set up a Japanese subsidiary in 2017 with an eye to opening casino resorts in Japan, one of which was to be located in Hokkaido.
