**Sukiya Halts Operations Amid Pest Incidents in Japanese Restaurants**

**The decision comes in light of a rat found in a bowl of soup and subsequent insect sightings, prompting widespread concern among patrons.**

Sukiya, one of Japan's leading restaurant chains known for its beef-on-rice dishes, is temporarily shuttering its nearly 2,000 outlets for extensive cleaning after reports of pests found in food. The company announced its closure following two alarming incidents. Last weekend, Sukiya acknowledged a rat had been discovered floating in a bowl of miso soup back in January, while more recently, a customer in Tokyo found what is believed to be an insect — likely a cockroach — in their meal.

In a public statement, Sukiya expressed its regret over the "great inconvenience and concern caused to our customers." The chain aims to prevent any further pest-related incidents by closing its doors from March 31 to April 4 for deep cleaning and to conduct pest control measures.

Rumors regarding the rat incident had been circulating for weeks on social media before the company officially confirmed the matter. The location of the initial incident was in Tottori, where the restaurant has since closed its operations temporarily and addressed any structural issues that could potentially lead to infestation.

In response to the insect discovery, the restaurant manager offered a refund to the affected customer, and a professional pest-control service was engaged immediately following the discovery. Sukiya’s actions come at a time when food safety is a significant concern among consumers, and the incidents have affected its stock prices, which dipped before rebounding later in the week.

Belonging to Zensho Holdings, which owns multiple restaurant chains across Japan, Sukiya's communication and proactive measures will be closely monitored by investors and customers alike in the wake of these unsettling developments.