Hotsukyo

Hotsukyo (一般財団法人保安通信協会, officially the Japan Security Communications Association) is a Japanese general incorporated foundation whose primary business is the type-testing of gaming machines installed in fourth-category amusement establishments — pachinko, pachislot (reel-type gaming machines), arrangeball and jankyu. It is designated as a testing agency by the National Public Safety Commission under Article 20, Paragraph 5 of the Act on Control and Improvement of Amusement Business, etc. Its common abbreviation in the industry is "Hotsukyo" (保通協). The organization was founded in May 1982 as the "Security Electronic Communications Technology Association" (財団法人保安電子通信技術協会), with offices opened in Toranomon, Minato, Tokyo. Its stated purpose is to apply electronic information and communications technology related to security to maintain and improve public safety in Japan and to contribute to international technical cooperation. In February 1985 it was designated by the National Public Safety Commission as a designated testing agency for gaming machine testing and type testing, and began test operations. Beyond type testing, Hotsukyo conducts consulting and maintenance for prefectural police helicopter television relay systems, and research and development in computer forensics (digital forensics), often holding seminars jointly with the National Police Agency and Fire and Disaster Management Agency. It also publishes technical books, such as a 2025 title on cloud forensics, and hosts an annual Security Electronic Communications Technology Seminar and Exhibition. Hotsukyo is a general incorporated foundation (一般財団法人), a non-profit legal form, and is not listed on any stock exchange. Its chairman is Masahiro Koyama (小山雅博). The association has a mascot character named "Secta-kun" (セクタくん), born April 1, 2006. Its headquarters moved to Taihei, Sumida, Tokyo in April 2006, and in April 2012 it changed its name to the General Incorporated Foundation Hotsukyo following corporate legal reform. For decades Hotsukyo was effectively the sole designated testing agency for gaming machine type testing, a position that has drawn criticism over cost, testing duration, and the practice of former police officials moving into its ranks. Competitors have attempted to enter the field, with GLI Japan becoming the first other organization to announce a pachinko machine test pass in September 2020.

Hotsukyo was established on May 1, 1982, as the "Security Electronic Communications Technology Association" (財団法人保安電子通信技術協会), a foundation created to conduct research, development and consulting on electronic communications technology necessary for security, thereby contributing to the improvement of crime-prevention systems in Japan and abroad. Its first office was opened in Toranomon, Minato, Tokyo. In February 1985, the association was designated by the National Public Safety Commission as a designated testing agency for gaming machine testing and type testing under National Public Safety Commission Public Notice No. 3, and it began test operations. This made it the body responsible for verifying that pachinko, pachislot, arrangeball and jankyu machines submitted by manufacturers met the conditions set out in regulations, on behalf of prefectural public safety commissions. Shizuhiko Yamamoto, a former Commissioner General of the National Police Agency, served as chairman for 17 years until 2005, a period that shaped the organization's close ties to police administration. In April 2006, the headquarters office was moved to Taihei, Sumida, Tokyo. The association's mascot character, "Secta-kun" (セクタくん), was created with the theme "advancing worldwide activities for a safe society" and has a birthday of April 1, 2006. In April 2012, following reform of the incorporated association system, the organization changed its legal form and name, becoming the General Incorporated Foundation Hotsukyo (一般財団法人保安通信協会). Over the decades, Hotsukyo's type-testing business became the gateway through which virtually all pachinko and pachislot machines had to pass. The process generally runs: a manufacturer applies to the designated testing agency; if the machine fails, it returns to the application stage; the machine then undergoes examination by each prefectural public safety commission; the machine is installed in a hall and inspected by the police with jurisdiction; and finally it debuts. Test fees are set by prefectural police-related fee ordinances, at roughly 1.52 million yen per pachinko model and 1.81 million yen per pachislot model (tax included). Because a machine that fails type testing cannot be submitted again under the same model name, manufacturers often add numbers or letters (such as "***2" or "***A") to create a nominally different model. Manufacturers also sometimes submit several nearly identical machines with slightly different specifications under names differing only in suffix, and because application slots per manufacturer are capped, many manufacturers establish subsidiaries and sub-brands to secure more application slots. Even machines that pass testing are sometimes never released. In rare cases, a machine that passes Hotsukyo testing is not approved by a prefectural public safety commission and cannot be installed. Mie Prefecture did not permit any pachislot machine installation until 2000, and in the mid-2000s the machine Hihōden (Daito Giken) was not approved for installation in Yamanashi Prefecture. Some prefectures impose their own regulations on yaku (feature devices), leading manufacturers to create prefecture-specific versions; for example, New Monro (Nishijin), whose selling point was a female feature device that undressed on a jackpot, was not approved in Kyoto Prefecture until the manufacturer produced a version with the figure in a swimsuit (the so-called "Kyoto version"). In 1996, industry groups announced 96 "socially unsuitable machines" (社会不適合機) — models that had passed Hotsukyo testing and been approved by public safety commissions but were deemed to excessively stimulate gambling spirit or have high gambling character — and 705,000 machines were removed. For a long period Hotsukyo monopolized gaming machine type testing. Other organizations applied to become designated testing agencies under Article 20, Paragraph 5 of the Amusement Business Act, but most were rejected or surrendered their rights. In 2010, people connected to the Nagoya pachinko chain Tamakoshi established the Japan Gaming Machine Type Certification Organization, which was accepted for application by the National Police Agency in October 2010 but was not approved on April 28, 2011, partly because its chairman was a former director of Tamakoshi. On February 4, 2013, the Gaming Machine Testing Organization (in Meito, Nagoya) received designation but surrendered it without conducting tests and was removed from designated status on November 1, 2013. On August 6, 2018, GLI Japan (in Koto, Tokyo), the Japanese arm of the US-based casino equipment testing company Gaming Laboratories International, received designation, and in September 2020 it announced the first pachinko machine test pass by an organization other than Hotsukyo. Hotsukyo has also faced criticism. For pachislot 4th-generation machines, which could erase stocks and had sub-boards operable from a distance, critics questioned Hotsukyo's approval of such machines. Among 5th-generation pachislot machines, titles such as Bomberman Victory and Spider-Man 2 (both by Sammy) achieved payout rates not observable during Hotsukyo testing by intentionally missing roles (so-called "rip-pan hazushi"); after a change in National Police Agency internal rules, testing methods changed for models applying for examination from September 2007, making such payout-rate increases impossible. Jun Ayukawa has pointed out that former police officials move into Hotsukyo executive positions and that Hotsukyo holds a near-monopoly on pachinko and pachislot approval; the absence of competing agencies until February 2013, its high-cost structure and abnormally long testing times have often been criticized. In recent years the association has continued its seminar and exhibition activities, publishing a new book on cloud forensics in March 2025 and preparing the 18th Security Electronic Communications Technology Seminar & Exhibition for 2027.

• Founded as the Security Electronic Communications Technology Association (財団法人保安電子通信技術協会); office opened in Toranomon, Minato, Tokyo

• Designated by the National Public Safety Commission as a designated testing agency for gaming machine testing and type testing (Public Notice No. 3); test operations begin

• 96 'socially unsuitable machines' announced by industry groups; 705,000 machines removed

• Shizuhiko Yamamoto ends 17-year tenure as chairman

• Headquarters office moved to Taihei, Sumida, Tokyo; mascot character Secta-kun created (birthday April 1, 2006)

• Japan Gaming Machine Type Certification Organization's application as designated testing agency accepted by National Police Agency

• Japan Gaming Machine Type Certification Organization's application not approved

• Reorganized and renamed as General Incorporated Foundation Hotsukyo (一般財団法人保安通信協会)

• Gaming Machine Testing Organization (Meito, Nagoya) receives designated testing agency status

• Gaming Machine Testing Organization removed from designated testing agency status after surrendering designation without conducting tests

• GLI Japan (Koto, Tokyo) receives designated testing agency status

• GLI Japan announces first pachinko machine test pass by an organization other than Hotsukyo

• Hotsukyo website renewed

• New book 'Basics of Cloud Forensics' published

• 18th Security Electronic Communications Technology Seminar & Exhibition 2027 page opened; exhibitor recruitment begins

Japan's long-dominant designated testing agency for pachinko and pachislot gaming machines, combining regulatory testing with security communications research.

• Gaming machine type testing (pachinko, pachislot, arrangeball, jankyu)

  Designated testing agency service under Article 20, Paragraph 5 of the Amusement Business Act; fees roughly 1.52 million yen per pachinko model and 1.81 million yen per pachislot model (tax included)

• Helicopter TV relay system consulting and maintenance for prefectural police

  Consulting and maintenance services for police helicopter television relay systems

• Digital forensics research and development

  Computer forensics (digital forensics) related research and development, with seminars held jointly with the National Police Agency and Fire and Disaster Management Agency

• Security Electronic Communications Technology Seminar & Exhibition

  Annual seminar and exhibition; the 17th was held in 2026 and the 18th is scheduled for February 2, 2027 at Tokyo International Forum Hall E1

• Technical publications (e.g., 'Basics of Cloud Forensics')

  Books published as reference works, available at bookstores and online stores

1. 1一般財団法人 保安通信協会hotsukyo.or.jp
2. 2保安通信協会について | 一般財団法人 保安通信協会hotsukyo.or.jp
3. 3理事長メッセージ | 保安通信協会について | 一般財団法人 保安通信協会hotsukyo.or.jp
4. 4Hotsukyo - Wikidatawikidata.org
5. 5保安通信協会 - Wikipediaja.wikipedia.org