Pachinko chains institute rolling store closures in Hokkaido

Larger pachinko companies, ordinarily quite conspicuous in their consumption of electricity, are going the extra mile in energy-tight Hokkaido by instituting rolling closures at their outlets as a special conservation measure that goes beyond turning off some neon signs.

Maruhan, which operates 33 pachinko parlors in Hokkaido, announced that each of its outlets will suspend business for one weekday per two-week period. They commented, “We express our condolences to all of the disaster victims and pray from the bottom of our hearts for a rapid recovery.”

Maruhan also revealed that even before the rolling store closures, they were already achieving a 33 percent reduction in electricity consumption, well beyond the 20 percent demanded by the government.

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