Woman drinking directly from communal pitcher shocks Japan – but were her actions legal or not?
A video of a female customer drinking directly from a pitcher at a Sukiya restaurant has gone viral on social media, sparking outrage and prompting the restaurant chain to file a police report.
The video, which has been widely circulated online, shows the customer, dressed in black, brazenly drinking from the communal pitcher.
A spokesperson for Sukiya confirmed that a damage report was filed with the local police station on February 4th.
While the date and time of the incident, as well as the specific restaurant where it occurred, have been withheld to protect the well-being of employees, the company is taking the matter seriously.
This incident has generated significant public attention, with many expressing disgust and concern over the customer’s unsanitary and disrespectful behavior.
Similar incidents have taken place in the past, most notably at conveyor sushi restaurants, in what many commenters online have dubbed “dining terrorism”.
Most people will agree that activities such as those seen in this latest incident are unsanitary and incredibly disrespectful, but many have been asking the same question – are these actions illegal?
A Japanese lawyer was consulted and offered the following insight into the countries judiciary system:
“From a criminal perspective, the act could potentially constitute obstruction of business.”
“Japanese law defines two types of obstruction of business: fraudulent acts and acts of intimidation. While the line between these two can be blurred, the act of drinking from the communal pitcher could be construed as either.”
“Fraudulent acts, according to legal precedent, encompass actions that deceive or exploit others. While seemingly straightforward, the definition can be nuanced.”
“For instance, past court cases have determined that making numerous silent phone calls to a restaurant constitutes fraudulent behavior, highlighting the broad interpretation of this offense.”
“Similarly, intimidation can be defined as acts that exert undue influence or pressure. Legal precedents have established that acts such as stealing and hiding a lawyer’s legal documents or placing a dead animal in someone’s desk drawer can be considered intimidation.”
“In the case of the Sukiya incident, the act of drinking directly from the communal pitcher could be argued to constitute intimidation, as it poses a significant health risk to other customers and disrupts the normal operations of the restaurant.”
“Beyond criminal implications, the incident has significant civil repercussions. Sukiya will likely incur costs associated with the disposal and cleaning of affected equipment, as well as the disruption to normal business operations. Furthermore, the company may face potential losses in revenue due to the negative publicity and the impact on customer trust.”.
It seems in this case that the woman involved in the video could be in for a shock as she may face criminal charges, or at best a civil case brought by Sukiya for loss of reputation and the subsequent business disruption.
Either way, this shows that even actions carried out as a joke or for social media clout can have serious repercussions and it’s probably best to consider the consequences before acting.
Images: © Sukiya Co. Ltd
Sources: Original article. Additional comments by bengo4.