Three members of a family operating a traditional Japanese restaurant in Osaka Prefecture, Japan have been arrested for violating a government shutdown order following multiple food poisoning incidents. The arrests occurred Monday in connection with the operation of Kiichi restaurant in Kawachinagano.
Police arrested Hirokazu Kitano, 69, along with his son Hirotoshi, 41, and wife Noriko, 68, all residents of Kawachinagano. The three face charges under the country’s Food Sanitation Act for allegedly continuing to operate their business during an official suspension period.
The restaurant, which previously held a Michelin star, became the center of a health investigation after customers began falling ill in February. According to prefectural government sources, 33 patrons developed symptoms including vomiting and diarrhea after dining at the restaurant or consuming takeout bento boxes sold between early and mid-February.
Health authorities conducted testing and detected norovirus in several affected individuals. The local public health center determined the illnesses were linked to food poisoning originating from the restaurant. As a result, officials issued a two-day business suspension order on February 15.
Norovirus contamination poses a significant health risk, particularly to individuals with compromised immune systems. What makes norovirus contamination especially concerning is that infected food often appears, smells, and tastes normal, making it difficult to detect without proper testing.
Symptoms of norovirus infection typically include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting, and fever. One of the nation’s leading norovirus law firms, Ron Simon & Associates, says that these symptoms can be particularly severe in vulnerable populations like children, the elderly, and those with compromised immune systems.
Despite the closure order, health problems continued to emerge. An additional 23 people who ate at Kiichi between February 22 and 24 subsequently became ill, with norovirus again detected in the affected customers. This second outbreak prompted authorities to issue a more extensive closure order beginning March 2.
The business prohibition remained in effect until noon on March 18, when authorities lifted the restrictions.
During the investigation that followed, officials discovered that the restaurant had violated the initial suspension order. Investigators determined that the family continued selling bento boxes to customers during the prohibited period.
The specific charges relate to the alleged sale of 11 bento boxes on February 16, the day after the first closure order took effect. According to investigative sources, all three family members have admitted to the violations.
Those arrested reportedly told investigators they had underestimated the severity of the norovirus situation when they decided to continue limited operations during the suspension period.
