Japan’s pachinko hall revenue declined 77.5% year-on-year in May, according to a preliminary report released by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.
The report, which highlights the results of a specified service industries dynamic statistics survey, shows pachinko hall revenue of JPY66.58 billion (US$620.6 million) in May, down 77.5% year-on-year.
The results reflect the impact of COVID-19, which saw pachinko halls across the county closed from early April to mid-May, however they also reflect a wider trend for the industry with pachinko revenue having now fallen on a year-on-year basis for 11 consecutive months. March revenue had reached 80.4% of March 2019 numbers before April saw revenue plummet to just 38.2% compared with the prior year.
The survey followed a variety of business trends such as revenue for specific service industries. The purpose was to determine short-term economic and employment trends, and to obtain materials for the promotion of industrial structural policy, SME policy and the healthy development of the service industry.
The companies or operators with the highest sales, covering approximately 70% of annual sales, are extracted and surveyed. As a result of this methodology, the figures in the survey results differ from the figures of the industries as a whole.