KYODO NEWS - Apr 24, 2020 - 22:30 | All, Japan, Coronavirus

The Osaka prefectural government on Friday revealed the names of six pachinko parlors defying its request to shut, the first such move under Japan's state of emergency declaration to contain coronavirus.

The harsh measure comes amid concerns that such noncompliant parlors have complicated efforts to discourage people from entering the western prefecture from its surrounding areas. Some other prefectures, including Tokyo, are prepared to take similar steps.

(Osaka Gov. Hirofumi Yoshimura names six pachinko parlors that have defied a request by Osaka Prefecture to close temporarily to contain the spread of the new coronavirus on April 24, 2020.)

Under the emergency declaration, effective through May 6, the Japanese government has asked people to avoid nonessential outings and some businesses to close.

While the declaration does not give prefectural governments the legal power to force compliance, they are allowed to publically name noncompliant companies in an effort to shame them for not being socially responsible amid the crisis.

The operator of one of the six pachinko parlors in question said it will continue to operate, calling for state compensation in return for closing its business.

The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said Friday it will expand the scope of existing financial support measures for smaller companies to cover the pachinko sector and others.

Osaka said it may name 28 other pachinko parlors in the prefecture as early as next week.

"I would like Osaka people to cooperate in preventing the spread of the virus by not going to those pachinko parlors," Gov. Hirofumi Yoshimura told reporters.

(Photo taken April 24, 2020, shows a pachinko parlor in Osaka that has defied a request by Osaka Prefecture to close temporarily to contain the spread of the new coronavirus.)