Rotating Sushi Spit 'Nalreum' Japanese Hygiene Terrorist... Facing 600 Million Won Compensation

Company Troubled by Hygiene Terrorism Files Damage Claim
"Causes Suspicion in Business Premises and Induces Disgust"

Earlier this year, a boy who committed a 'hygiene terror' by licking a soy sauce bottle at a conveyor belt sushi restaurant in Japan was hit with a bill of about 600 million won.

According to the Yomiuri Shimbun on the 8th, the operating company F&LC of the conveyor belt sushi chain 'Sushiro' in Japan filed a claim for damages of approximately 67 million yen (about 627.47 million won) against the boy who posted a video licking a soy sauce bottle at Sushiro last January.

The operator stated, "The boy's actions raised doubts about the hygiene management of each store and caused significant discomfort and disgust to many customers. The impact was serious, and we cannot ignore this issue," and filed a lawsuit for damages.

At the time, the boy not only licked the spout of the soy sauce bottle but also placed used teacups in the unused section and spat on food on the conveyor belt. He even posted videos of these acts on social networking services (SNS).

The video spread widely through SNS, resulting in a significant decrease in customers at stores nationwide. The parent company's stock price dropped about 5%, losing 16 billion yen (about 160 billion won) in value in one day. It was reported that the boy who caused the controversy eventually dropped out of the school he was attending.

On the other hand, the boy's side requested dismissal of the claim at the district court in May, stating, "He is spending days in reflection," but also argued that "the decrease in customers could be due to competition with other sushi restaurants."

Meanwhile, such 'hygiene terror' incidents have occurred repeatedly in Japan, causing problems for a while. Previously, at another branch of Sushiro, a male student caused controversy by picking up a spray bottle placed on the table and spraying disinfectant on sushi on the conveyor belt.

For this reason, there were observations of conveyor belt sushi restaurants disappearing. The conveyor belt sushi chain Joshimaru announced that it would abandon the conveyor system and switch to made-to-order after a video circulated showing a man putting cigarette butts in a ginger dish on the belt.