Sukiya to Temporarily Close Nearly 2,000 Stores for Hygiene Overhaul

Japan's largest beef bowl chain responds to recent food contamination incidents involving a rat and a bug with a nationwide four-day closure starting March 31, 2025.

• Sukiya will shut almost all of its 1,965 Japanese locations from March 31 to April 4, 2025, to implement enhanced hygiene measures.
• The decision follows two contamination incidents: a rat found in miso soup at a Tottori branch in January and a bug in a meal at a suburban Tokyo store in March.
• The closures will exclude a small number of locations in shopping centers, which will remain operational during this period.
• Zensho Holdings, Sukiya's parent company, saw its stock price drop by 7% following the public backlash and contamination revelations.
• Sukiya has issued public apologies and pledged to take serious measures to restore customer trust and prevent future incidents.

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