Sukiya to Temporarily Close Most Stores over Sanitary Issues

Tokyo, March 29 (Jiji Press)--Japanese “gyudon” beef-on-rice restaurant chain Sukiya Co. said Saturday it will temporarily close almost all stores from Monday, after a cockroach was found in a product following a similar sanitary issue.

The firm operates a total of roughly 1,970 outlets across Japan. Almost all of them, excluding some stores such as those inside shopping centers, will be closed from 9 a.m. Monday to 9 a.m. Friday to implement sanitary measures aimed at preventing insects and animals from entering.

Sukiya said it received a call Friday from a customer who complained that a cockroach was found in a takeout product purchased at its store in Akishima, Tokyo.

The company collected the product and refunded the customer, and suspended the store’s operations from around 5 p.m. that day.

In a statement released Saturday, Sukiya said it very seriously takes the issue, which came on the heels of a similar incident earlier this year. “We deeply apologize for causing significant trouble and concern,” it added.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]