Any owner of a large corporation would be proud to have someone like Tomohiro Kimura on their payroll. This selfless employee really took one for the team by getting himself arrested on 17 February in Wakayama Prefecture on suspicion of destruction of property. In doing so he helped to generate more news for his employer, Japanese media giant, Asahi Shinbun.


At approximately 2 p.m. on that fateful day, Mr. Kimura was playing pachinko at a parlor in Hashimoto City. Pachinko is a form of quasi-legal gambling in the form of a pinball-like game wherein the player must shoot little metal balls into the correct openings to earn prizes. These prizes can then be exchanged for cash at a “separate” shop.

Reportedly upset that his little balls weren’t going into the right little slots, Mr. Kimura bravely and allegedly gave the pachinko machine a right-cross. The right fist possibly belonging to Mr. Kimura broke through the plate glass cover and damaged the machine.

According to police, an employee of the pachinko parlor restrained the suspect and handed him over to the authorities. Mr. Kimura later admitted the charges.

It’s truly inspiring to see a media worker – from the delivery section no less – really pitch in and help generate news for his company like that. In fact I might just grab a piece of corn and make some RocketNews24-oriented content myself.

Source: MSN news (Japanese)