TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested the 45-year-old male manager of an izakaya restaurant in Katsushika Ward for running a bookmaking operation on the premises, reports TV Asahi (Mar. 12).
On Sunday, Takekazu Hashiguchi allegedly took a total of 5,800 yen in wagers — priced at 100 yen each — on keirin (bicycle) and kyotei (motorboat) racing from two customers, including a man in his 60s.
“I thought that a small operation like this would not be cracked down upon,” Hashiguchi told police in admitting to the allegations.
According to police, the bookmaking operation collected about 360,000 yen in revenue each month.
Hashiguchi attracted customers through word-of-mouth. The restaurant was outfitted with televisions that displayed the races from a feed taken from a satellite service, police said.
