Japan proposes a 30% cut in pachinko machine approval fees
The National Police Agency expects lower inspection costs to reduce administrative charges for manufacturers and parlour operators from April 2027.
Key takeaways:
- Japan’s National Police Agency has proposed reducing standard pachinko and pachislot machine approval fees by approximately 30 per cent.
- The fee for certifying a machine of an already type-tested model would fall from JPY4,340(US$28.30) to JPY3,030 (US$19.80).
- The charge for each additional machine of the same model would decrease from JPY40 (US$0.26) to JPY30 (US$0.20).
- The public consultation runs from November 6 to December 5, 2026, with the revised fees scheduled to take effect on April 1, 2027, if approved.
- The reductions would affect administrative approval costs only, leaving testing requirements, police oversight, payouts and game odds unchanged.
Japan.- Japan’s National Police Agency has proposed cutting standard fees for the approval of pachinko and pachislot machines. Under the draft changes, the fee for certifying a machine of an already type-tested model would fall from JPY4,340 (US$28.37) to JPY3,030 (US$19.80), a reduction of about 30 per cent. The charge for each additional machine of the same model would drop from JPY40 (US$0.26) to JPY30 (US$0.20).
For applications involving changes, replacements or additions of unapproved machines of a type-tested model, the standard fee would decrease from JPY5,200 (US$34.00) plus JPY40 (US$0.26) per machine to JPY3,900 (US$425.50) plus JPY30 (US$0.20) per machine.
The National Police Agency opened a public consultation on the proposal on November 6. Comments will be accepted until December 5. If finalised, the new fees are scheduled to take effect on April 1, 2027.
The agency said the reductions follow a review of how police conduct on-site inspections to check machines and verify their specifications. Officials expect the revised process to cut labour and operational costs, allowing the fees to be lowered.
The fees are collected by prefectural public safety commissions under Japan’s Act on Control and Improvement of Amusement Business. Prefectures set their own charges through local ordinances, using the national standard amounts as a base. The standards are typically reviewed every three years. The proposed cuts would affect only administrative approval fees. Existing requirements for testing, certification and police oversight would remain in place.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
- When will Japan’s new pachinko approval fees take effect? If finalised, the revised fees are scheduled to take effect on April 1, 2027. The public consultation opened on November 6, 2026, and will accept comments until December 5.
- Why is Japan reducing pachinko and pachislot approval fees? The National Police Agency expects a revised on-site inspection process to reduce labour and operational costs. These anticipated savings would allow prefectural public safety commissions to lower standard approval charges.
- Will the fee reductions change pachinko payouts or game odds? No. The proposal concerns administrative approval fees only. It does not change machine payouts, game odds, playing costs or existing testing, certification and police oversight requirements.
