Yoshinoya's "Red Pickled Ginger Man" Jailed

Feb 16, 2024 | News On Japan

OSAKA - A man who ate red pickled ginger directly from a communal container at a Yoshinoya beef bowl chain, with a video of the malicious incident subsequently spread online, has been sentenced to prison for 2 years and 4 months.

Footage was filmed at a Yoshinoya outlet, where Ryu Shimazu (35) is seen eating red pickled ginger directly from the container with his chopsticks, and charged in September 2022, for obstructing business at a Yoshinoya restaurant in Osaka City.

The incident came to light after the video, filmed by an acquaintance of Shimazu, was posted and spread on social media.

During the investigation following his arrest, Shimazu admitted that he knew his actions would render the red ginger at the affected store unusable.

In the first trial in May 2023, Shimazu admitted to the charges. The prosecution also pointed out that he was trying to make the acquaintance he was with laugh.

The court revealed that the wasted red ginger Shimazu ate amounted to a loss of 269 yen.

In the trial on Thursday, February 15, Judge Rina Takahashi of the Osaka District Court condemned Shimazu's actions as "disregarding damage to the store, selfish, and malicious," sentencing him to 2 years and 4 months in prison and a fine of 200,000 yen.

Source: FNN

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