Japan is cracking down on pranksters who are terrorizing conveyor-belt sushi chains and have made their first arrests.
BBC reports the viral trend is perpetuated by attention seekers recording themselves putting their saliva on objects like chopsticks or other people’s food as they pass by on the conveyor belt. One video that sparked immense outrage showed a man licking the communal soy sauce bottle and putting it back on the belt.
That man was later identified as 21-year-old Ryoga Yoshino, who was caught by police with his 19- and 15-year-old accomplices.
Police say all suspects have confessed. It is unknown what kind of punishment they face, but they apparently violated Japan’s penal code under obstruction of business.
The growing trend of sabotaging these restaurants, which has been dubbed “sushi terrorism,” isn’t only sparking outrage, it’s also scaring diners away from such restaurants out of fear they could be touching someone else’s spit. This has also caused share prices in conveyor-belt sushi restaurants — called kaitenzushi chains — to drop.
Until the unhygienic trend dies down, some chains have turned off their belts and have instructed their staff to deliver food to their customers directly.
Kura Sushi will also invest in sensors and cameras to catch these pranksters in the act.