Sukiya to Close Nearly 2,000 Stores Over Rat and Bug Contamination Scandals
TOKYO, March 29 (Reuters) – Sukiya, Japan’s largest fast-food chain specializing in beef bowls, will temporarily close nearly all of its approximately 2,000 stores nationwide for four days starting Monday, following two separate contamination incidents. The company, owned by dining giant Zensho Holdings (7550.T), announced on its website Saturday that a rodent was discovered in a bowl of miso soup at one of its locations in western Japan in January, followed by a bug found in a meal at a suburban Tokyo branch on Friday.
Sukiya issued an apology last weekend for the January incident involving the rat in the miso soup, which led to a sharp decline in Zensho Holdings’ shares, dropping as much as 7% the following Monday. In a statement on Saturday, the company addressed the second contamination event and outlined its response: “Sukiya has decided to close all Japanese restaurant locations, except for a small number in shopping centers, from the morning of March 31 to the morning of April 4 to implement measures to prevent further infestations.” The company added, “We take very seriously the fact that this incident has occurred. We deeply apologise to our customers.”
As of the end of 2024, Sukiya operated 1,965 stores across Japan, according to Zensho’s latest filing, outpacing competitors like Yoshinoya (9861.T), with about 1,250 stores, and Matsuya (9887.T), with around 1,100. Beyond Japan, Sukiya also runs approximately 650 outlets in regions including China, Southeast Asia, and Latin America. The Nikkei business daily reported that even stores in shopping centers, initially exempt from the closure, will shut down as soon as arrangements are finalized with those facilities.
Food recalls and contamination incidents are rare in Japan, a country known for its exceptionally high sanitation standards. However, such events occasionally garner attention. Last year, for example, over 100,000 packets of sliced bread were recalled after rat fragments were found in two packages.
