Three Arrested For Unsavoury ‘Sushi Terrorism’ Pranks

Three people have been detained in Japan over unsanitary pranks at kaitenzushi (conveyor-belt sushi) restaurants after online footage of their activities, which have been termed “sushi terrorism,” aroused anger.

The fact that we like or find humor in practical jokes does not preclude the possibility that some practical jokes by pranksters could seriously harm the victim as well as the perpetrator.

Police charged the teenage defendants with attempting to stop Kura Sushi, a well-known restaurant brand, from operating normally after receiving numerous customer complaints as a result of the viral video.

In the video, one person is seen snatching a piece of sushi from a plate as it passes, stuffing the entire delicacy into their mouth, and then gulping down soy sauce straight from a shared bottle.

Last month, similar videos shot at various chains appeared on sites like Twitter and TikTok. Some of the videos appeared to be weeks or even years old.

Other disgusting practical jokes included consumers sucking the rim of a teacup before setting it back on a shelf or touching moving sushi pieces with a newly licked finger.

Three persons from the central Aichi region had been apprehended, according to local police on Thursday.

According to a police spokeswoman, Ryoga Yoshino, 21, and an unidentified 15-year-old girl were detained on Wednesday, while the third member of the group—a 19-year-old man whose identity was similarly withheld—was apprehended last month.

The arrests are thought to be the first in the incident that sparked outrage in Japan, a nation known for having strict standards for cleanliness.

The group’s mischief required Kura Sushi staff to do urgent cleaning, which “made regular business operations challenging,” the police official noted.

Although no charges have been brought, “forcible obstruction of business” is subject to harsh punishments in Japan, including a potential three-year prison sentence.

In a statement, the business that runs Kura Sushi, which has over 500 locations around Japan, praised the arrests.

“We sincerely hope the arrests will spread awareness in society that these pranks, which fundamentally undermine our system based on a relationship of trust with customers, are a crime, and that there will be no copycat acts in future,” the firm said.

Sushiro, one of the chains impacted by the string of occurrences, had its stock price fall last month after a video surfaced of a customer—apparently a teen—licking the top of a shared soy sauce bottle at one of its stores.

“This is sickening,” one Japanese Twitter user wrote in response at the time, with another adding: “I can’t go to conveyor belt sushi restaurants anymore.”

This goes to say that many practical jokes/ Pranks are cruel and many more are pointless and could land you in prison.