72 Fall Ill and One Dies After Eating Boxed Meals in Tochigi

Apr 14, 2025 | News On Japan

Tochigi, Apr 14, 2025 (News On Japan) - A total of 72 people reported symptoms of food poisoning after eating boxed lunches from a catering shop in Tochigi Prefecture, with one person confirmed dead. Local authorities have identified the cause as a norovirus outbreak.

According to Tochigi Prefecture officials, the incident involves meals prepared and served on April 9th by a catering service called Kikyo in the city of Tochigi. The affected individuals, both men and women, experienced symptoms including diarrhea, vomiting, and fever.

As norovirus was detected in the investigation, the prefectural government officially designated the case as a mass food poisoning incident and has ordered the suspension of the shop's operations.

Two of the 72 individuals were hospitalized. While a direct link to the food poisoning has yet to be confirmed, one of the hospitalized patients—an elderly man in his 80s—died.

A woman who consumed a Kikyo bento on the afternoon of April 9th and later experienced intense vomiting and diarrhea gave an interview describing her condition.

"My stomach felt extremely nauseous, and I ran to the bathroom. I started vomiting with such force—it just wouldn’t stop. I could hardly breathe," she said.

At the woman’s workplace, at least four people reportedly suffered symptoms consistent with food poisoning after eating the same boxed meals.

In a statement, the shop apologized and said it would "make every effort to rebuild its hygiene management system and regain public trust."

Source: TBS

Floodwaters Strand 1,200 Cars in Chiba

More than 1,200 vehicles are believed to have been left stranded on roads across Chiba Prefecture after torrential rain caused widespread flooding, with authorities confirming eight deaths and investigating a drainage pump failure at an underpass where a man died.

Eight Confirmed Dead in Chiba Floods

The death toll from the record-breaking heavy rain in Chiba Prefecture has risen to eight, with one person still missing and damage reported to at least 170 homes as flooding, landslides, water outages and transport disruptions continued on August 14.

Aso Volcano Eruption Alert Level Raised to 3 in Kumamoto

Japan's weather agency raised the volcanic alert level for Mount Aso in Kumamoto Prefecture from Level 2 to Level 3 on August 14 after volcanic tremors strengthened and gas emissions increased sharply, warning people to stay away from areas within about 2 kilometers of the Nakadake No. 1 crater.

Typhoon No. 17 Weakens as It Tracks East Over Pacific

Typhoon No. 17 was moving east near Minamitorishima on August 14 and is expected to continue weakening before becoming a tropical depression by August 16.

Google Opens Flagship Store in Tokyo's Omotesando

Google opened its first flagship store in Japan in Tokyo's Omotesando district at 2 p.m. on August 13, marking the company's first flagship retail location outside the United States.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Society NEWS

British Girl, 12, Missing During Family Trip to Japan

A 12-year-old British girl visiting Japan on a family trip has been reported missing after surveillance footage showed her leaving a private lodging facility alone in Tokyo's Ota Ward on the morning of August 13.

Akita Promotion Official Suspended After Online Interview From Love Hotel

An Akita prefectural official has been suspended for six months and demoted two ranks after an investigation found he had joined an online media interview from a love hotel while with a woman who was not his wife, despite initially claiming he was at home because he was unwell.

39-Year-Old Father Drowns While Attempting to Save Two Children

A 39-year-old father was taken to a hospital in cardiac arrest on August 15 after entering the sea to rescue his two young sons who appeared to be in difficulty off the coast of Toyoura, Hokkaido.

Osaka's Gurishita Continues to Attract Troubled Youth

Young people continue to gather at "Gurishita" in Osaka's Minami entertainment district despite persistent risks of drug abuse, prostitution and violent crime, while a nearby support center is operating around the clock during the summer vacation period to help those with nowhere else to turn.

Pythons Escape From Apartment in Kawasaki

Two pet pythons measuring about 2 meters in length escaped from an apartment in Kawasaki's Tama Ward early on August 13, prompting police and firefighters to search the surrounding residential area and warn local residents.

The Unseen Reality of Kumamoto Quake Survivors

Fifteen days after the Kumamoto earthquake, restoration of electricity and transport infrastructure is progressing, but thousands of people are believed to remain outside official shelters, while rising construction costs and interest rates are creating new challenges for rebuilding homes and restoring livelihoods.

Teens on Stolen Motorcycle Fire Rockets at Police Officers

Two teenage boys from Tokyo's Adachi Ward have been arrested on suspicion of stealing a motorcycle and firing aerial fireworks toward police officers at two police boxes, telling investigators they were annoyed that a new police box had opened in the area.

Japanese Woman Trapped in North Korea for 40 Years

Hiroko Saito was 19 years old when she left Japan for North Korea in June 1961 with her Korean husband and their one-year-old daughter, persuaded by assurances that they were heading to a "paradise on earth" and that she could return to Japan after three years. Instead, she would spend four decades in North Korea, enduring chronic hunger, the deaths of her husband and children and a desperate struggle to survive before finally escaping and returning home in 2001.

< 2 3 4 5 >