Three arrested for 'Sushi terror' pranks in Japanese restaurants

Japan is known for its technology, especially in its restaurants where dining is all high-tech. But recently several videos went viral, where one showed a teenager licking the open top of a soy sauce bottle and rubbing saliva on passing food at a kaitenzushi restaurant, raising hygiene concerns.

Police in central Japan havearrested three people for taking part in the pranks.“We hope that the recent arrests will allow the public to recognize that actions which undermine our trust-based structure for our customers is a ‘crime,’”Kura Sushi, one of the restaurant chains, said.

The hi-tech sushi dining industry is currently struggling to keep up with its reputation and might remove its main attraction: the conveyor belts.

As of data from 2021, Tokyo's kaitenzushi industry is worth an estimated ¥740 billion ($ 5.4 billion). It has been hit hard by a spate of viral videos showing pranksters licking communal sauce bottles, spraying sushi with hand sanitiser and even snatching plates of food destined for other tables, The Guardian reported.

Choshimaru, which operates restaurants in the capital city said its conveyor belts would possibly halt, forcing its staff to deliver orders by hand, after a video showed a cigarette in a container of pickled ginger.

In response to the video, staff at the chain started taking utensils and condiments to tables every time a new group of clients took their seats.

Watch | WION Fineprint | Japan's sushi culture at risk?

Choshimaru went a step ahead and announced that for the time being, the conveyor belts at all of its 63 restaurants willbe switched off, and will force its customers to wait for the staff to bring them food directly to the table.

While this move has removed all the fun elements, the firm reasoned that the absence of the technology will make it practically impossible for pranksters to mess with other customers' food.

According to the SoraNews 24 website, Choshimaru said all of its conveyor belts would possibly stop by April end of this year, while some outlets are expected to implement the new measure in the few coming days.

(with inputs from agencies)

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