TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police and Fukuoka Prefectural Police on Friday announced the bust of specialty gambling parlors operating illegally in the metropolis, reports the Sankei Shimbun (Jan. 18).
Officers took managers Seiji Toshima, 65, Yasuhisa Higashiyama, 65, and four others into custody for operating three gambling enterprises within the Kin Suro (Gold Slots) company in the metropolis in violation of the Law Regulating Adult Entertainment Businesses regarding unauthorized businesses.
According to police, the operations, located in the Ueno area of Taito Ward and the Kabukicho red-light district, utilized a card system and not coins on their pachisuro (or pachinko slot) machines. The cards were available to purchase for 300 yen each.
The suspects considered their slots as vending machines, and therefore not in violation of the law. “Kin Suro uses a card embossed with gold leaf for use in vending machines. They are not slot machines,” said Toyama, a resident of Fukuoka City, in denying the allegations.
According to police, the bust is the first of this type ever recorded in Japan.
“I thought I could spread the Kin Suro system nationwide,” said Toshima, whose company has operations in 10 prefectures.
Between July and October of last year, the three gambling operations accumulated 440 million yen in revenue, according to Asahi Shimbun (Jan. 18).
