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Tokyo cops bust illegal pachinko parlor in Kinshicho

Katsumi Ayukawa
Katsumi Ayukawa

TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police on Wednesday announced the raid of a pachinko parlor operating illegally in Sumida Ward, reports TBS News (June 10).

Officers arrested Katsumi Ayukawa, the 57-year-old manager of parlor Kagura, located near JR Kinshicho Station, for allowing customers to wager on 45 pachisuro (pachinko slot) machines considered illegal.

Ayukawa has reportedly admitted to the allegations. “I started it after hearing that underground parlors in Kabukicho are profitable,” the suspect is quoted by police in referring to the red-light district in Shinjuku Ward.

The machines in Kagura, dubbed yongoki, are said to offer higher payouts than those found in legal parlors. The machines were outlawed in 2007 by a revision to the Law Regulating Adult Entertainment Businesses.

The parlor served approximately 950 registered customers since opening in January. Over the past four months, revenue totaled 30 million yen.

To monitor customers entering and leaving Kagura, a surveillance was installed at its entrance doors.