Video parlor fire suspect had gambled his life away

OSAKA (Kyodo) The arson suspect in Wednesday's fire at a video parlor in Osaka that killed 15 people had lost all his money and run up a mountain of debt by gambling, got divorced and ended up destitute, investigative sources said Thursday.

Murder investigation: Police inspect a video parlor Thursday in Naniwa Ward, Osaka, where a fire killed 15 customers Wednesday. KYODO PHOTO

Kazuhiro Ogawa, a 46-year-old unemployed man from Higashiosaka, Osaka Prefecture, was arrested Wednesday after the predawn fire at the Shishashitsu Cats Nanba shop in Naniwa Ward.

Ogawa was using one of the parlor's private viewing rooms. He told police he was "fed up with life" and admitted to starting a fire.

According to the sources, Ogawa has multiple debts after gambling away his retirement allowance. Police are trying to determine exactly how much he owes, the sources said.

Ogawa retired from an electric parts factory a few years ago, but after losing his money through gambling, his wife divorced him. Ogawa's debts snowballed after that, the sources said.

Ogawa was arrested outside the video parlor after being questioned by a policeman. At the time, he had no money on him.

Police are questioning him for suspected arson, murder and attempted murder. Police believe that the arson was triggered by his mental stress and was not premeditated.

Ogawa told police he set fire to a newspaper he had with him in his private room, and firefighters said there was no trace of oil or other flammable substances in his compartment.

Most of the fatalities occurred in small private rooms equipped with a reclining sofa, a video player and a TV set.

Such shops are often used by people who need a cheap place to spend the night.

The fire prompted police and fire authorities nationwide to check whether fire-extinguishing equipment is properly installed at similar shops in the adult entertainment and sex industries.

On Thursday, the Hokkaido Prefectural Police inspected the Edo Castle sex parlor in Sapporo's Susukino entertainment district. A fire at the shop — a so-called soap land sex parlor — killed two female employees and a male customer by carbon monoxide poisoning in April.

Experts say current regulations for fire-extinguishing equipment at such shops are far from sufficient. Hotels must install a sprinkler in each room, while video and sex parlors have no such requirement.