A 43-year-old unemployed man from Japan is in police custody after a video allegedly showing him pouring a liquid onto sushi at a Hama Sushi location in Saitama Prefecture circulated on social media, according to Japan Times.
Police reportedly arrested the man, identified as Yuta Shinnishi, after he allegedly posted the footage to his TikTok account. Authorities have charged him with obstruction of business operations, per the outlet.
Shinnishi has reportedly admitted to the allegations and said his main reason was that he “wanted to get more views on social media.” He has also reportedly claimed that the container he used held water rather than dish soap.
Police charge unemployed man with obstruction of business
Police allege that on May 27, Shinnishi apparently filmed himself pouring what appeared to be dishwashing detergent onto an item he had ordered at a Hama Sushi conveyor belt sushi restaurant in Saitama Prefecture, then posted the video online. The footage seems to have spread across social media and drawn widespread criticism, NTV reported.
Shinnishi reportedly had around 12,000 followers on TikTok at the time of the incident. He apparently had previously posted content described as “rage-bait.” He later reportedly posted a public apology to his TikTok account, saying, “I would like to apologize to the staff and everyone who works at Hama-Sushi. I have no idea why I did it. It was stupid.” He was apparently arrested the following day.
Japan Times points out that Hama Sushi is one of the largest chains in the country, and the parent company, Zensho, issued a statement about the incident, saying “[His] behavior is absolutely unacceptable.” Apparently, online pranks have also led to real-world disruptions, such as a woman who turned her friend into a trespasser for TikTok views.
The company also reportedly said it would fully cooperate with authorities throughout the legal process. These prank videos can spread quickly online, much like a viral AI homeless man prank that recently caused alarm.
The man reportedly achieved his stated goal of gaining views, but is now apparently facing a criminal charge.
