Jakarta –
Japanese police have arrested three people for their involvement in the viral ‘sushi terror’. The terror was carried out by recording the action of spitting on or licking the sushi dish served to visitors to a number of restaurants. Action ‘prank’ was then uploaded to social media.
Last month, a video of a man licking a soy sauce bottle on a sushi restaurant conveyor belt went viral and sparked outrage in Japan.
In the video, he can also be seen squeezing a sushi dish at the Kura Sushi restaurant.
Since then, dozens of such videos have appeared, sparking public concern.
Sushi conveyor belts are known in Japan as kaitenzushi. (Getty Images)
Incidents saw a number of diners – many of whom were children and teenagers – tampering with other diners’ orders by touching a dish of sushi on a conveyor belt.
A video that emerged last month shows a customer putting wasabi on another diner’s plate. Then a customer licks chopsticks for the general diners.
In another video, which was filmed at Sushiro’s restaurant, a diner can be seen spitting on pieces of sushi that are traveling down a conveyor belt.
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The viral trend has frightened many Japanese and sparked action by several restaurants that have a conveyor belt dedicated to sushi – known in Japan as kaitenzushi.
“I know people from abroad are looking forward to eating sushi here. So as a Japanese person, I am embarrassed by such an act,” Japanese resident Yukari Tanaka told the BBC.
Another resident, Nana Kozaki, said: “Kaitenzushi is a Japanese culture that we can be proud of, but the actions of a few people like that have completely ruined it.”
A number of people said they were “a bit scared” of the trend – in fact they admitted to being reluctant to go to restaurants.
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Japan is known for its strict standards of hygiene and culinary etiquette.
Because of this, the “sushi terror” “prank” not only shocked millions across Japan but also caused a crash in the share price of companies such as the restaurant chain Sushiro.
Some restaurants that have dedicated conveyor belts for sushi or kaitenzushi are making public appeals to stop sabotaging their food.
There are also a number of restaurants that have decided to discontinue the dedicated sushi conveyor belt altogether.
In eastern Japan, restaurant chain Choushimaru halted a conveyor belt after a customer placed a cigarette butt in a container of pickled ginger.
The waiters will bring the dishes to the customers in person – and only distribute the condiments and sauces when the guests are seated.
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A spokesman for restaurant chain Kura Sushi – which was the target of the three people arrested on Wednesday – said the viral video trend was “extremely dangerous” and posed a threat to restaurants with kaitenzushi.
“Kaitenzushi is something we are proud of as part of Japanese culture. We want to make sure our customers can enjoy sushi delivered by conveyor belt safely and comfortably,” he said.
Several sushi restaurant chains have threatened to take legal action against people who do the ‘prank’. Wednesday’s detention is believed to be the first arrest.
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Police in Nagoya City, central Japan, accused Ryoga Yoshino, 21, of licking soy sauce bottles for diners at Kura Sushi restaurant on February 3.
Two children aged 19 and 15 were also involved. The police said their actions were acts that disrupted business operations, as stipulated in the Japanese Criminal Code.
All the suspects confessed to guilt, police said. One person also reportedly apologized for his actions.
Restaurant-owning companies have struggled with a weaker yen, expensive raw materials, the war in Ukraine and the coronavirus pandemic.
Many had to raise prices last year. Now they face another challenge, namely unhygienic pranks.
As a result of this unfunny prank, all restaurants in Japan are trying to convince customers of their hygiene standards.
Restaurant chain Sushiro, for example, changed its rules last month. Diners must now fetch their own equipment and condiments from the waiter to reduce potential attempts at sabotage.
Kura Sushi has also developed a surveillance system. Their conveyor belts are now equipped with sensors and cameras.
If someone is caught returning plates that have been tampered with, an alert will be sent to the network’s offices in Saitama prefecture, near Tokyo and Osaka. Affected restaurants will also be notified, said Kura Sushi.
The company says these sensors will be able to identify the special plates and seat numbers of offending visitors.
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