Michelin-Starred Restaurant in Japan Arrested for Food Safety Violations

On June 16, Hirokazu Kitano, the manager of the renowned Kiichi restaurant in western Japan, alongside two other individuals, was apprehended for failing to comply with a shutdown order following a series of food poisoning cases. The trio is implicated in violating the Food Sanitation Law due to their decision to sell bento lunch boxes that were reported to have caused illness among customers.

Previously, public health authorities had mandated a two-day closure of the restaurant after multiple patrons who dined there on February 8 reported experiencing diarrhea and stomach pains, which were attributed to the highly contagious norovirus. Despite this pause, it is alleged that on February 16, they offered 11 bento boxes potentially contaminated with harmful microorganisms to customers, leading to further investigations.

The health complications escalated, leading to an indefinite suspension of the restaurant's operations on March 2, as a significant number of patrons who visited between February 22 and 24 exhibited symptoms of food poisoning, specifically diarrhea and vomiting. Data indicates that around 80 individuals fell ill in February, with the restaurant's contaminated food being the suspected source; fortunately, all have since recovered.

Local police have indicated that inadequate hygiene practices at the establishment likely contributed to the food poisoning cases. After the restoration of its operations, Kiichi publicly apologized via its website on March 20, expressing deep regret over the incidents and pledging to enhance its food safety protocols and hygiene management practices to prevent future occurrences.