Wave of 'Sushi Terrorism' hits Japan's restaurant industry, police arrest three

Japan is in the grip of a new and unique terror - sushi terrorism. The Japanese police have made multiple arrests for sushi terror that has the country's multi-billion dollar industry scared. On Thursday, three people were arrested on suspicion of forcible obstruction of business, news agency Kyodo reported. What is sushi terrorism? Sushi terrorism is a unique phenomenon Japan is witnessing in which a customer licks the sushi actually destined for other diners. 

This is the first time three arrests have been made involving customers suspected of 'unhygienic and harassing behaviour', The Guardian reported citing a local news agency. Notably, the news of arrests comes amid a rising number of food-related crimes across Japan’s budget dining sector. Japan’s restaurant industry has been forced to deliver orders by hand instead of serving on the revolving belt (Sushi train). 

Japan’s restaurant industry suffering from 'Sushi Terrorism' 

Japanese police arrested a 21-year-old customer, who is alleged to have drank from a communal soy sauce bottle at a kaitenzushi (sushi train) food outlet named Kura Sushi in the central city of Nagoya. Whereas, two other customers, a 19-year-old man, and a 15-year-old girl, have been arrested for allegedly helping share a 10-second clip that showed him placing a soy sauce bottle in his mouth. According to Kura Sushi, the efforts by the police authorities have been appreciated, and the police's “swift response” might help them to continue to run their business, as per a local news channel report.

The firm said in a statement, " Such inconsiderate action … shakes the foundations of the relationship of trust we have built with our customers, and we sincerely hope that broad knowledge that such actions are a crime will prevent others from engaging in such behaviour.”

Restaurant chains have been forced to take drastic measures to attract nervous customers back through their doors. This comes after an adolescent "licked the rim of a teacup" placed it back on the shelf and then wiped his saliva on the sushi plate which was kept on kaitenzushi (sushi train), reported The Guardian. Kura Sushi, where the recent incident of Sushi Terrorism took place, would soon equip the restaurant with cameras with artificial intelligence to monitor customers’ tables. It is noted that Kaitenzushi (popularly known as the Sushi train) has grown into a ¥740 billion industry since the first restaurant opened in Osaka in 1958.