Sukiya, Japan’s largest chain specializing in gyudon (beef bowls), has temporarily closed almost all of its 2,000 locations this week for cleaning after reports of food contamination involving a rat and an insect.
The closures, announced on Saturday, follow an incident on Friday where an insect was found in food at a suburban Tokyo outlet. This came just weeks after a rat was discovered in a bowl of miso soup at a branch in Tottori, western Japan, in late January.
Apologizing for the “great inconvenience and concern,” Sukiya stated that most of its branches will remain closed from March 31 to April 4 to address pest infestations and ensure food safety.
In an effort to address public outrage, Sukiya issued another apology on social media, stating, “We take this situation seriously and sincerely. We will do our utmost to maintain a safe and clean environment.”
Both affected locations have been temporarily shut for extermination and thorough inspections. Despite widespread circulation of the rat-in-miso-soup image on social media, Sukiya only confirmed the incident in late March. The company later announced plans to “thoroughly review and implement further measures to prevent pest and rodent entry.”
The company attributed the January incident to an employee’s failure to inspect the miso soup before serving, assuring that no other customers were affected.
Regarding the recent contamination in Tokyo, Sukiya confirmed that the customer involved received a refund and that an on-site investigation is underway to determine the cause.
As of early 2024, Sukiya operates 1,957 stores in Japan and 675 international branches in countries like China, Taiwan, Thailand, and Brazil. It is owned by Zensho Holdings, which also manages several other Japanese and global restaurant brands.
