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Japan's sushi licking problem - 27th February 2023
Some Japanese boys have caused trouble in sushi restaurants. They're playing pranks.
They've recorded themselves licking soy sauce bottles. They also bit other people's sushi and put wasabi on people's food.
These pranks are called 'sushi terrorism' and are being shared on social media. They've had over 40 million views.
One famous video shows a boy behaving badly in a sushi chain restaurant called Sushiro. This behaviour has resulted in serious losses for the restaurant. The company's value decreased by 5 percent.
The behaviour of the boys has upset the public in Japan. Cleanliness and hygiene are important in Japanese culture.
Some people have said that the boys' actions could be dangerous, because some people are allergic to wasabi. They'd like the sushi lickers to be punished.
Some boys have now apologised for their behaviour. But many people still feel angry.
The restaurants are taking the sushi lickers to court, which some people are pleased about. But others think that this is not the answer to the problem.
Many people are supporting the restaurants on Twitter with the hashtag #saveSushiro. Since these tweets, the company's value has started to increase.
