Videos whirlwind – First arrests for “sushi terror” in Japan

The three arrested are said to have disrupted operations in the restaurant. One of the group members is said to have drunk soy sauce straight from a bottle. If convicted, the trio faces three years in prison.

The phenomenon started in the Japanese food chain Sushiro, where a video was made of a boy sticking his saliva-covered finger in passing food and unabashedly licking the lid of a soy bottle.

The share price of the restaurant chain fell
The video, which was clicked on millions of times, and the reactions to it, caused shares of Sushiro’s parent company to fall nearly five percent – and spawned numerous imitators. More videos soon circulated in which restaurant visitors were less strict in terms of hygiene. The unsavory actions are also having a major impact on the huge sushi industry. The share price of restaurant chain Sushiro fell by five percent as a result.

Trend is causing great outrage in the country
The trend, dubbed “sushi terrorism(ism),” has sparked outrage in a country known for its high standards of cleanliness. Some restaurants have announced that cameras will be used “to monitor whether customers are putting the picked up sushi back on their plates.” If the system detects suspicious behavior, staff are alerted.

In the greater Tokyo area, the Choshimaru company shut down 63 sushi conveyor belts to prevent such hygiene attacks. Waiters are on duty there now and bring the food to the table. Other restaurants also reacted to the current situation.

To prevent contamination and show hygiene-conscious customers that the restaurants are clean, some sushi chains are currently only preparing dishes to order, according to a report by Engadget.