Former Michelin-star restaurant owner in Japan arrested after food poisonings

OSAKA - Members of a family who run a formerly Michelin-starred restaurant in western Japan were arrested on June 16 for ignoring an order to temporarily shut down the establishment after a spate of food poisonings, investigative sources said.

Hirokazu Kitano, 69, along with his wife Noriko, 68, and his son Hirotoshi Kitano, 41, and have all been involved in the operation of the traditional Japanese-style restaurant Kiichi in Kawachinagano, Osaka Prefecture. It is alleged they violated the Food Sanitation Act.

According to the prefectural government and other sources, the restaurant was handed a two-day business suspension order on Feb 15 after 33 customers experienced vomiting and diarrhoea following meals at the restaurant or after consuming “bento” boxed meals sold earlier in February.

Norovirus was detected in some of the people, which a local public health centre determined was linked to food poisoning.

Norovirus is a highly contagious virus that causes vomiting and diarrhoea. It is usually spread through contaminated food or surfaces.

Then, 23 more people who ate at the restaurant between Feb 22 and 24 fell sick and norovirus was again detected, prompting authorities to order the restaurant to close indefinitely from March 2.

Subsequent investigations found that the business had continued to sell bento boxes during the initial suspension order. KYODO NEWS