Popular Japanese chain shuts 2,000 stores after rat, cockroach found in food

One of Japan’s biggest restaurant chains, Sukiya, is temporarily closing its nearly 2,000 outlets nationwide for deep cleaning after a rat and a cockroach were found in customers food.

Sukiya is a Japanese beef-bowl restaurant operator. Last weekend, the restaurant operator admitted that a rat had been discovered in a bowl of miso soup in January.

In a statement, the chain apologised and said most of its sites would be shut between March 31 and April 4 “to prevent external intrusion and internal infestation of pests and vermin”.

“We are taking the situation seriously,” the Tokyo-based company said in a statement.

Some outlets such as those in shopping malls will be open for customers, BBC reported.

Rumours about the rat-in-miso incident had been circulating on social media for weeks before Sukiya was forced to confirm that the rodent had been found “before it was eaten”.

The chain initially temporarily closed the restaurant where the rat was found and said measures had been taken to address cracks in the building that could lead to contamination.

It then announced that all of its outlets would be regularly checked for gaps and rubbish would be refrigerated.

Sukiya is part of Zensho Holdings, which owns a number of restaurant chains in Japan.

Last Monday, following the disclosure about the rat, its share price tumbled before recovering later in the week. Its shares will face scrutiny after Saturday’s announcement.