Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said his ruling party will seek to pass a law in the next Diet session to legalize casinos as part of a plan to boost tourism before the Tokyo Olympics in 2020.

"Integrated resorts are expected to provide a great contribution to tourism, regional economies and industry, I think, and can be one of the key elements of Japan's growth strategy," Abe said in an interview Tuesday at his official residence.

Now 18 months into his term in office, Abe has fired two of what he calls the three arrows of "Abenomics" — fiscal stimulus and unprecedented monetary easing — in a bid to banish deflation.