Police in Japan has arrested several people for the first time for “sushi terrorism”. They were accused of forcibly obstructing business, reports The Guradian.
Three people will appear before the court. They are accused of violating the rules of hygiene and public order in connection with a flash mob that has become popular on social networks. So, users come to conveyor sushi restaurants (kaiten-zushi) and spoil other people’s food that is in the public domain.
One of the defendants, a 21-year-old, drank from a shared bottle of soy sauce at a Kura Sushi restaurant. Two others, a 19-year-old young man and a 15-year-old girl, filmed what was happening on camera and helped publish it.
A wave of so-called “sushi terrorism” rocked Japanese restaurants earlier this year. Hooligans massively smear other people’s sushi with saliva or drink from common cups in kaiten-zushi establishments, where dishes ordered by visitors move along a common conveyor. This led to a drop in the number of visitors to these restaurants, which threatened the collapse of the industry, estimated at 5.7 billion dollars.
According to media reports, after the video went viral and caused a huge stir in the country, some restaurant chains were forced to reorganize their work to return frightened customers.
For example, kaiten-zushi market leader Sushiro said it would deliver meals directly to customers who place orders. Choshimaru, which operates outlets in the greater Tokyo area, said it was suspending conveyor belt operations. And Kura Sushi has said it will use AI-enabled cameras to monitor tables.