[Illegal Online Casino Scandal] Exclusive Interview with “Reiwa Roman” Kuruma & “Toro Salmon” Kubota

Yoshimoto Kogyo’s accountability called into question

At Yoshimoto Kogyo, the company to which both comedians belong, cases of illegal casino use continue to surface. On February 5, some comedians, including Dai Yoshimoto (40) from “Daitaku” and Shun Nakamura (31) from “9th Street Retro,” recently suspended their activities due to suspected compliance violations.

What are the two thinking now?

When our magazine visited Kuruma, he appeared fully covered, wearing a black cap pulled low over his eyes and a mask.

— Could you tell us again how and why you started online gambling?

“……”

Without responding, Kuruma got into a taxi and left in silence.

On another day, we approached Kubota after his stage performance.

— We’d like to ask about the illegal casino issue.

“Sorry, which weekly magazine is this? Could I just get your business card?”

After receiving the business card, Kubota left without answering any questions.

Both remained silent in response to inquiries. Meanwhile, at the television networks where they work, voices are rising, demanding Yoshimoto Kogyo take responsibility and provide an explanation.

“Kuruma should have been interrogated by February 13, yet Yoshimoto didn’t inform the network before the recording of ‘The Iromonea’ (TBS) took place later. When the news broke during the recording, it caused some confusion on set. Why didn’t Yoshimoto notify us in advance?

Furthermore, Yoshimoto had reportedly received a tip about Kuruma’s illegal gambling at the beginning of the year. However, no explanation was given to the network until the news was published. Even if they conducted an internal investigation, their response was far too slow.” (Production company insider)

A staff member from another key network added, 

“Senior management has instructed us to prioritize casting comedians from other agencies unless Yoshimoto holds a press conference to explain the situation. There are concerns this could develop into another ‘black-market business scandal,’ so we are closely monitoring the situation.”

Why did it take so long for Yoshimoto to notify the networks?

When we sent an inquiry to Yoshimoto Kogyo for fact-checking, they responded as follows:

“We refrain from commenting on individual media inquiries. We are currently verifying the facts and will take appropriate measures once we have confirmed the details.”