Dead rodent in miso soup at Japan restaurant chain Sukiya drags down stock price

Shares Japanese restaurant chain Sukiya’s holding company have tumbled after a customer found a dead rodent in its miso soup.

Zensho Holdings, which operates the Sukiya chain, saw its shares fall as much as 7.1 per cent, the most since February 13, after the company made the revelation.

Sukiya said the animal made its way into the soup while meals were being prepared at a branch in Tottori, western Japan, on January 21, and that staff had “failed to notice” it before serving.

The chain said it would double down on hygiene measures in an announcement on Saturday.

The restaurant also apologised for failing to disclose the incident sooner. “Many customers ended up feeling anxious and worried” as a result, it said.