Police in Kazo, Saitama Prefecture, have arrested a 35-year-old man on suspicion of robbing a convenience store last month.
Police said the suspect, Hiroki Nakajima, a company employee, told them he was heavily in debt to gamblers and needed money because he hadn’t been able to eat properly for three days, TV Asahi reported.
The incident occurred early on the morning of Jan 27, police said. Nakajima is accused of threatening the male employee with a knife and stealing 30,000 yen in cash. The employee was not injured.
According to police, Nakajima was identified after an analysis of store surveillance camera footage.
© Japan Today
6 Comments
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falseflagsteve
Well, don’t ruddy well gamble then you silly man. Even if you’re starving and in debt robbery with a weapon is unforgivable. This maniac needs to serve some porridge and get some help with his gambling addiction.
wallace
Not the outrage here, like on the post about a Brit tourist who didn't pay for a ¥3 plastic bag and ended with an altercation with a convenience store clerk.
https://japantoday.com/category/crime/foreign-tourist-arrested-in-japan-for-striking-convenience-store-clerk-over-3-yen-bag-altercation#comment-4594470
Cephus
Perhaps it's was deliberate, he more safer in jail than on the streets from his debtors and mind you he gonna get free meals onwards.
WoodyLee
Japan has a very serious gambling syndrome that local governments wont even touch and or address for reasons many don't understand.
People as young as 20 are getting sucked into this scam at local Pachinko's and gambling sites where they are offered and accepting loans as easy as ordering a soda.
Rates as high as 23% are being charged and people can never catch up or pay them off unless they quit gambling.
David K Anderson
While gambling can indeed be an addiction and thus require treatment, choosing to threaten a clerk with a knife and rob a store is a decision, and one that deserves punishment. Maybe he can get counselling for his addiction in prison.
Legrande
This pales in comparison to what will happen when they open casinos for business in Osaka and then Kanto.