Controversy Over 'Toothpick Terror' Video in Japan
Store Says "No Apology Received"... Plans to Request Investigation
Recently, in Japan, there has been public outrage after some customers at conveyor belt sushi restaurants were caught spitting on the sushi on the conveyor belt. Now, a video showing a man putting a used toothpick back into the container has gone viral, sparking controversy.
According to local media such as Prime News on the 6th, a video has recently spread on social networking services (SNS) like Twitter showing a man at a meat restaurant in Tochigi Prefecture putting a used toothpick back into the container.
The man, wearing a gray coat, finished his meal, took a toothpick from the container on the table, used it, and then put it back into the container. He closed the container and shook it, mixing the used toothpick with the new ones. A friend who filmed this did not stop him but only laughed.
The video also included the caption "Be careful with all the toothpicks." Although the video was deleted within a day of being posted, it had already spread rapidly online.
The affected restaurant stated, "We learned about the video posted on social networking services (SNS) after receiving reports from customers." The restaurant reported the incident to the police at the time and identified the individuals involved, but said they have not received any apology. Following this incident, the restaurant reportedly started providing individually wrapped toothpicks.
This is not the first time hygiene-related terrorism controversies have arisen in Japanese restaurants. Previously, a video showing a customer spitting on sushi on the conveyor belt at a Japanese conveyor belt sushi restaurant went viral, prompting a police investigation.
The customer licked the opening of a soy sauce bottle placed on the table, applied saliva to a new cup, and then put it back in its place. The video was filmed at one of Japan’s major conveyor belt sushi chain restaurants, whose headquarters have requested a police investigation.
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