Former Michelin-star restaurant owner arrested after food poisonings
Members of a family who run a formerly Michelin-starred restaurant in western Japan were arrested Monday for ignoring an order to temporarily shut it down after a spate of food poisoning cases, investigative sources said.
Hirokazu Kitano, 69, his son Hirotoshi, 41, and wife Noriko 68, have all been involved in operating traditional Japanese-style restaurant Kiichi in Kawachinagano, Osaka Prefecture, and are alleged to have 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 developed symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea following meals at the restaurant or after consuming "bento" boxed meals sold between early and mid-February.
Norovirus was detected in some of the people, which a local public health center determined was linked to food poisoning.
Subsequently, 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 from March 2. The business prohibition order was lifted at the noon of March 18.
Investigators later found that the establishment had continued to sell bento boxes during the initial suspension order.
According to the sources, the three family members, all residents of Kawachinagano, were arrested for allegedly selling 11 bento boxes to customers on Feb. 16.
They have admitted to the allegation, telling investigators they underestimated the norovirus situation.
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