[/floatl]Japan Focus: Pachinko - Declining Popularity or a Continuing Japanese Social Problem?
...The popularity of playing Pachinko is not in doubt. However, while the figure of around 30 million players is still often cited, the most recent data...show that pachinko declined in popularity, going from an estimated 29.9 million players in 1989 to 17.1 million players in 2005...The decline in the number of people playing pachinko should not, however, be confused with a decline in revenue. In fact...revenue has risen from 1.53 trillion yen in 1989, to 2.87 trillion yen in 2005. In short, the number of people playing has decreased by nearly 11 million, but the revenue has nearly doubled...While the number involved has dropped, the volume of play by the remaining individuals has increased. What these figures may indicate, is that the population continuing to play pachinko are more likely to be the hard core of addictive gamblers...All of this points to increasing social problems...Sensational examples highlighted in the Daily Yomiuri include: a person employed by Osaka prefecture who embezzled 2 million yen to play pachislot machines, and a man who murdered a woman to fund a pachinko addiction. Furthermore, there is increasing media focus on children being neglected by parents addicted to pachinko. In the most extreme cases, there have been 15 recorded deaths of children between 2002-2005, most of whom have died of heatstroke and dehydration when they were left in cars while their parent(s) were playing pachinko...more...
