TOKYO - A 43-year-old man has been arrested after allegedly filming himself pouring a detergent-like liquid onto sushi at a Hama Sushi restaurant and posting the footage online, telling investigators he was seeking more views on social media.
Police arrested Yuta Niinishi, an unemployed resident of Moroyama Town, Saitama Prefecture, on suspicion of forcible obstruction of business.
According to investigators, Niinishi visited a Hama Sushi outlet in Saitama Prefecture on May 27th and ordered a plate of tuna sushi. He allegedly filmed himself pouring a liquid resembling dishwashing detergent onto the sushi before uploading the video to social media, disrupting the restaurant's operations.
During questioning, Niinishi admitted to the allegations and reportedly told police that he wanted to increase the video's view count.
The incident is the latest in a series of social media stunts that have rattled Japan's restaurant industry and transformed what were once dismissed as juvenile pranks into matters for police, prosecutors and civil courts.
The turning point came in January 2023, when a teenager at a branch of Sushiro was filmed licking a soy sauce bottle, touching conveyor-belt sushi and placing dishes back into circulation. The footage spread across social media within hours, triggering nationwide outrage and wiping billions of yen from the company's market value. Sushiro responded with legal action, eventually reaching a settlement with the teenager and his family.
Soon afterward, similar videos surfaced at Kura Sushi, where customers were seen tampering with shared condiments and tableware. The chain filed criminal complaints and accelerated the rollout of new security measures designed to prevent copycat incidents.
Hama Sushi has also found itself in the crosshairs before. Previous videos showed customers licking communal utensils and condiment containers, prompting the company to work with police and tighten in-store monitoring.
The phenomenon spread beyond sushi restaurants. At Marugame Seimen, videos showing customers contaminating shared toppings and serving equipment sparked fresh public anger and renewed concerns about food safety.
What began as a quest for clicks quickly evolved into a national controversy over social media culture and the pursuit of viral fame at any cost. Restaurant operators responded by installing more surveillance cameras, introducing AI-powered monitoring systems, covering conveyor belts, expanding direct-to-table ordering systems and reducing the use of shared condiment stations.
Authorities have also hardened their stance. Acts once brushed off as harmless mischief are now increasingly treated as serious criminal offenses, with suspects facing charges such as forcible obstruction of business along with civil lawsuits seeking millions of yen in damages.
Source: TBS
