Like many pachinko parlors throughout Japan, Naomi Suzuki's establishment on the outskirts of the city of Fukushima was once full of energy, with the din of bouncing steel balls and garish lights flashing to indicate winnings.
But business is quieter for her these days as her parlor's clientele ages and drifts away. And with new restrictions on the game this year, she and others in her industry are bracing for things to get much worse.
The rules, aimed at curbing gambling addiction, are part of a policy barter that helped legalize casinos in 2016 despite widespread opposition. Then the Diet passed new regulations on casino developments last month, including those on gambling addiction.