{"id":167577,"date":"2021-03-16T23:13:46","date_gmt":"2021-03-17T06:13:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/?p=167577"},"modified":"2021-03-17T11:32:48","modified_gmt":"2021-03-17T18:32:48","slug":"former-japanese-prosecutor-now-faces-fine-for-public-gambling-charge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/former-japanese-prosecutor-now-faces-fine-for-public-gambling-charge\/","title":{"rendered":"Former Japanese Prosecutor Now Faces Fine for Public Gambling Charge"},"content":{"rendered":"

The man who once served as Tokyo\u2019s top prosecutor will likely have to pay a fine for gambling after authorities in Japan\u2019s metropolis issued a \u201csummary indictment\u201d against him, The Japan Times<\/em> reported Saturday.<\/p>\n

\"Japan
Reports indicate former Tokyo prosecutor Hiromu Kurokawa faces a fine after it was discovered he gambled with reporters during the country’s COVID-19 national emergency. He initially escaped punishment last year. However, in December, an inquest ordered prosecutors to reconsider that decision. (Image: AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

According to The Mainichi<\/em>, Hiromu Kurokawa faces a fine of up to 1 million yen, or $9,159. The paper said the indictment Kurokawa received is typically associated with minor violations and foregoes a court trial.<\/p>\n

\n

Kurokawa served as the head of the Tokyo High Public Prosecutors office. But he stepped down from that position 10 months ago after a Japanese publication reported he played mahjong with journalists for money.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

In addition, the incident came as the country implemented strict social distancing policies to keep the COVID-19 virus from spreading.<\/p>\n

Prosecutors Forced to Reconsider<\/h2>\n

Kurokawa originally escaped punishment. Back in July, prosecutors chose not to press charges against him.<\/p>\n

However, in December, the Committee for the Inquest of Prosecutions ordered authorities to reconsider<\/a> that decision. That committee is similar to a grand jury in American courts.<\/p>\n

The committee said that Kurokawa\u2019s position \u2013 at the time he resigned, he was the country\u2019s second-ranking prosecutor \u2013 necessitated another review by prosecutors.<\/p>\n

At that time, the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors office said in a statement it took the matter seriously and would review the case.<\/p>\n

Published reports indicated Kurokawa played mahjong four times in April and May with two reporters from the Sankei Shimbum and a writer with the Asahi Shimbum.<\/p>\n

The reporters did not face any prosecution the first time and are unlikely to face it this time, sources told The Mainichi.<\/p>\n

The journalists, though, received sanctions from their employers, the Mainichi reported. The Sankei writers received four weeks suspension, and the Asahi correspondent got a one-month suspension.<\/p>\n

Online Gaming Not Under Consideration in Japan<\/h2>\n

The island country bans most forms of gaming. While the country is working to develop resort casinos<\/a>, a top official said earlier this month that will not lead to online gaming becoming legalized.<\/p>\n

Hachiro Okonogi, who chairs the Liberal Democratic Party\u2019s National Public Safety Commission and is the Minister in charge of Building National Resilience, spoke at a recent legislative session about the issue. According to Inside Asian Gaming<\/em>, House of Councilors member Hiroyuki Moriyama, who belongs to the opposition Constitutional Democratic Party, asked Okonogi if regulations had changed regarding online gaming, noting a rise in popularity in such sites during the pandemic.<\/p>\n

Okonogi reiterated that the law does not allow for online gaming.<\/p>\n

The reason online casinos are not subject to the \u2018casino acts\u2019 in the IR Development Act is because online casinos are illegal in the first place,\u201d the minister said.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

He added that as public safety chairman, he would see to it that law enforcement in Japan would take action against such sites.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The man who once served as Tokyo\u2019s top prosecutor will likely have to pay a fine for gambling after authorities in Japan\u2019s metropolis issued a \u201csummary indictment\u201d against him, The Japan Times reported Saturday. According to The Mainichi, Hiromu Kurokawa faces a fine of up to 1 million yen, or $9,159. The paper said the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":45,"featured_media":167243,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[62],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nFormer Japanese Prosecutor Now Faces Fine for Public Gambling Charge<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Hiromu Kurokawa faces a fine of up to 1 million yen. 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