Papers on six Japanese comedians sent to prosecutors over online gambling
The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department on Thursday sent to public prosecutors papers on six comedians from major entertainment agency Yoshimoto Kogyo on suspicion of gambling via online casino services.
All of the six, including Dai Yoshimoto, 40, a member of comedy duo Daitaku, and Yuichi Ohara, 35, a member of another comedy duo Danbiramucho, have admitted to the charges, according to investigative sources.
In sending the papers to the prosecutors, the MPD sought indictments against them.
They are suspected of accessing and gambling on overseas online casino websites such as Sportsbet.io between January 2023 and December 2024.
According to the MPD, the six used multiple online casino sites, playing baccarat or blackjack on their smartphones while traveling for work or waiting at theaters.
Some of them said they became interested in online casino gambling after watching related YouTube videos and that they recognized it as a gray area but did not think they would be accused of committing a crime. Some had borrowed money from friends and Yoshimoto Kogyo for gambling and were aware that they were addicted to gambling, with one having deposited as much as ¥51 million.
Following an anonymous tip-off, the MPD began interviewing several comedians from Yoshimoto Kogyo on a voluntary basis this year.
In February, Yoshimoto Kogyo announced that some entertainers belonging to the company had been interviewed by investigative authorities for using online casinos. They were asked to refrain from entertainment activities on the grounds that the company would investigate the facts.
Online casinos are illegal to use from Japan even if they are operated legally abroad. They have become a problem in Japan, with the involvement of professional baseball players and others coming to light. The National Police Agency estimated that some 3.37 million people in the country have used online casinos, with bets amounting to approximately ¥1.2 trillion annually. A survey by the agency has found that 40% of those with experiences of using online casinos were unaware of their illegality.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
8 hours ago
Tokyo Police's Undercover Probe Detects Dark Job Suspect
News from Japan Jun 9, 2025 20:07 (JST) Tokyo, June 9 (Jiji Press)--The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department said Monday that its undercover investigation identified last month a "dark part-time job" suspect. It was the first time for police in Japan to detect a suspect under the investigation method introduced in January this year. The MPD's First Criminal Investigation Division said the identified person is suspected of playing part in an attempted scam case in the greater Tokyo area. The probe also found the target of the dark job ring and prevented actual damage. Meanwhile, the division declined to uncover when and where the suspect was detected and who the person is, as well as what the suspect was doing as a member of the ring and whether an arrest was made or not. Only limited information on the suspect was made available to the public because the police needed to hide their cards from the group and secure investigators' safety, they said. [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.] Jiji Press
Kyodo News
10 hours ago
- Kyodo News
"The Apothecary Diaries" Season 2: Aoi Yuki's Narrated ED Theme "Hitorigoto" to be Released on YouTube!
By Koji Uchida, Animate Times - 18 minutes ago - 17:54 | All A narrated version of "The Apothecary Diaries" Season 2's ending theme "Hitorigoto," performed by the piano trio band Omoinotake, will be released on YouTube. This special version features narration by voice actress Aoi Yuki. As a teaser, a short version containing only the chorus has been released on various social media platforms! "The Apothecary Diaries," a popular mystery-solving entertainment series set in the Inner Court, follows a young woman in the role of "poison taster" as she unravels various challenging cases. The light novel series, written by Natsu Hyuuga and illustrated by Touko Shino, has surpassed 40 million copies in circulation. The second season of the TV anime adaptation began airing in January 2025, with the second cour currently broadcasting and streaming on Netflix since April. "Hitorigoto" Narration ver. by Aoi Yuki, voice of Maomao, to be Released on YouTube! Aoi Yuki, the voice actress behind the protagonist Maomao, is set to release a special video on Omoinotake's YouTube channel. The video, scheduled for release on Friday, June 6th, will feature Yuki reading the lyrics of "Hitorigoto" over its instrumental track. As a teaser, a short version featuring only the chorus of "Hitorigoto" has also been released on Omoinotake's social media platforms. "Hitorigoto" is the ending theme for the second cour of "The Apothecary Diaries" Season 2. This emotional mid-tempo ballad expresses the sorrow of failing to understand a loved one's true feelings and the sense of loss when everyday conversations become soliloquies. The song is characterized by its repeated key changes and oriental sound, perfectly capturing the theme's essence. Since its digital release, "Hitorigoto" has been featured on numerous streaming playlists. The music video has also gained significant traction, surpassing 1 million views within just 10 days of its release. This surge in popularity aligns with the anime's growing fanbase. Comment from Aoi Yuki-san I've always felt that the song "Hitorigoto" gives you the sensation of thoughts quietly tucked away in your heart gradually turning into words. The emotions embedded in the lyrics seem to mirror the relationship between Shisui and Maomao, don't they? After finishing the second season of the anime, I think the meaning of the song resonates even more deeply. It's as if the feelings they couldn't put into words are allowed to be expressed, but only within the confines of this song. It's a very quiet piece, yet it leaves a distinct, lingering impression. It was an honor to be able to recite it.
12 hours ago
Ohkawara Pres. Asks Tokyo Police Not to Appeal Damages Suit Ruling
Tokyo, June 9 (Jiji Press)--The president of Japanese spray-dryer maker Ohkawara Kakohki Co. on Monday asked the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department not to appeal the recent ruling by Tokyo High Court that found the MPD's investigations into the company illegal and ordered the payment of damages. The 76-year-old president, Masaaki Okawara, visited the MPD headquarters in central Tokyo, handing in documents requesting that the truth about the false accusations be revealed and that the police officers involved in the investigation be punished strictly. He was arrested by the MPD's Public Security Bureau in 2020 along with two others of the company, based in Yokohama, south of Tokyo, for allegedly exporting without permission a spray dryer that could be repurposed to weapons production in violation of the foreign exchange law. They were indicted later that year but the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office withdrew the indictments the following year, saying that doubts had arisen about whether the spray-dryer in question was among the products subject to export controls. Also on Monday, Okawara submitted to the MPD some 41,400 online signatures collected since May 29, the day after the high court ruling was handed down, calling for the ruling not be appealed. According to informed sources, the central and Tokyo metropolitan governments are not planning to appeal the ruling. The deadline for filing an appeal is Wednesday. [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
