「すしテロ」動画、日本社会に波紋

【東京ＡＦＰ＝時事】日本で回転ずし店での迷惑行為を撮影した動画の投稿が相次いでいる。ＳＮＳで炎上したほか、店舗の改装、株価の下落、法的措置にまで至っており、社会に波紋が広がっている。（写真は回転ずし店）
　こうした動画の投稿は、日本のＳＮＳやメディアで「すしテロ」と呼ばれている。
　ツイッターでは、大手回転ずしチェーン「スシロー」の岐阜県内の店舗で撮影された動画が拡散し、これまでに４０００万回近く再生された。動画に登場する１０代とみられる男性客は、共用のしょうゆボトルや湯飲みをなめ回して元の位置に戻したり、指をなめてからレーン上のすしを触ったりしていた。
　これを見たツイッターユーザーは「気持ち悪い」「もう回転ずしに行けない」などと投稿。これを受け先月３１日、スシローの株価は急落した。
　スシローは、迷惑行為をした本人とその保護者から謝罪があったが受け入れを拒否し、警察に被害届を提出したと発表した。「刑事と民事の両面から厳正に対処していく」としている。
　問題の起きた店舗では、すべての湯飲みの洗浄としょうゆボトルの入れ替えを実施。さらに周辺店舗では、食器や調味料を店側で管理して客にテーブルまで運ばさせるほか、全国の店舗で消毒済み食器の要望を受け付けるつもりだという。
　時事通信によると、同様の動画を拡散された「はま寿司」と「くら寿司」も法的措置を取る予定。くら寿司はレーン上に監視カメラの設置も計画している。
　一方、ツイッターでは「＃スシローを救いたい」のハッシュタグで、被害を受けたスシローに対する応援ツイートも投稿されている。
　タレントの手越祐也さんはずっと前から行きたいと思っていたとして、「今こんな最悪な事になってるから今度こそ行こー！！」とツイートした。
　スシローの公式ツイッターは新居耕平社長名で、たくさんの応援の声に「涙がでるぐらい感謝の気持ちでいっぱいです」とコメントしている。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2023/02/03-23:40）

A handful of unhygienic pranks at sushi conveyor belt restaurants in Japan have sparked stock slumps, venue overhauls and legal action, along with furious social media commentary.
Several videos dubbed sushi terrorism have emerged on social media including Twitter and TikTok in recent days, some of them apparently weeks or even years old.
In one, viewed nearly 40 million times on Twitter, an apparently teenaged customer licks the top of a communal soy sauce bottle and the rim of a teacup he then places back on a shelf, before licking his finger and touching a piece of sushi as it goes past on the belt.
The video, filmed at a branch of the Sushiro chain in the central Japanese city of Gifu, prompted stocks in the restaurant's parent company to plunge nearly five percent Tuesday.
Other videos emerged showing customers at different chains putting wasabi on passing pieces of sushi or licking the spoon in a communal green tea powder container.
Though the incidents appear to be confined to just a few videos, they have caused an uproar in Japan, a country with famously high standards of cleanliness.
This is sickening, one Japanese Twitter user wrote in response, with another adding: I can't go to conveyor belt sushi restaurants anymore.
In a statement, Sushiro said the teen behind the viral video had apologised, along with his parents, but that the firm had filed a formal police complaint.
As a company, we will continue to respond firmly with both criminal and civil cases, it said.
It said all the soy sauce bottles at the affected store had been replaced and all the cups cleaned, and announced new restaurant policies.
At the Gifu branch and others nearby, customers will now take utensils and condiments to their tables from a serving point, and nationwide, diners will be able to request disinfected tableware.
Two other affected chains, Hama-sushi and Kura Sushi, have also said they plan to take legal action, with the latter planning to install cameras above conveyor belts to monitor customers, Jiji press agency reported.
In Tokyo, 20-year-old musician Luna Watanabe said she was appalled by the videos.
Omotenashi (hospitality) is an important selling point in Japan, so I think it's unforgivable, she told AFP in Tokyo's upscale Ginza district.
It's harmful to customers and employees.
But others largely shrugged off the incident, including Tetsuya Haneda, a photographer.
As far as I'm concerned, it only happened once, so that doesn't mean it happens all the time, he said.
It's not a problem -- on the contrary, now there will be fewer people waiting in line, so I won't need to make a reservation anymore to go and eat, even on the weekend.
Online too, after the initial outcry, there was something of a wave of support for the affected companies, with some tweeting their backing under the hashtag #saveSushiro.
I've always wanted to go to Sushiro but haven't been able to because it's always crowded, Japanese singer Yuya Tegoshi tweeted.
But the situation now is the absolute worst for them, so I'm definitely going to visit.
Sushiro president Kohei Nii said on Twitter he had been overwhelmed by an outpouring of support.
I'm so grateful I could cry.