Japan's Michelin-listed eatery owners arrested as customers test positive for ‘highly contagious illness’

Hirokazu Kitano and family face charges for violating Japan's Food Sanitation Act after norovirus outbreak.

Three members of a family in Japan who run a once Michelin-starred restaurant in Osaka were arrested Monday after nearly 80 people fell ill from food poisoning earlier this year, according to local reports.

Officials said the initial two-day suspension came after 33 people became sick after eating at the restaurant on February 8. (Representative image)

Hirokazu Kitano, 69, his wife Noriko, 68, and their son Hirotoshi Kitano, 41, were taken into custody on suspicion of violating Japan’s Food Sanitation Act. The family runs Kiichi, a traditional Japanese restaurant located in Kawachinagano, Osaka Prefecture.

Symptoms of norovirus 

The restaurant was first ordered to shut down in February after dozens of customers reported symptoms including diarrhea and stomach pain, Kyodo News reported. Some of the cases tested positive for norovirus — a highly contagious virus that causes vomiting and diarrhea, the UK Independent reported.

Officials said the initial two-day suspension came after 33 people became sick after eating at the restaurant on February 8. But investigators later discovered that Kiichi continued to operate and sold 11 bento lunch boxes on February 16. Those meals were also suspected to be contaminated.

In the following days, more people reported getting sick, and norovirus was again found in the food, prompting a second suspension in March.

Cause of norovirus outbreak

Authorities believe poor hygiene at the restaurant was the cause of the outbreak.

The restaurant acknowledged the issue and apologized publicly on March 20 after the suspension was lifted. “We take this series of incidents seriously and deeply regret it. We will work to ensure food safety by strengthening and thoroughly implementing our hygiene management system to prevent a recurrence,” the statement read. All of the people who fell ill have since recovered.

Kiichi once held a one-star rating in the Michelin Guide during the 2010s and describes itself as a “famed Kyoto kaiseki restaurant that has been continuing for a quarter of a century.”