"Rude" Chinese Customers Not Allowed At This Japan Restaurant, Row Erupts

A restaurant in Japan's Osaka has come under scrutiny for banning Chinese customers by posting a notice on its door. The restaurant named Hayashin, famous for its grilled dishes, posted a message, written in simplified Chinese, stating that Chinese people were "rude" and not "welcome" inside the establishment.

Though it is unknown what prompted the restaurant owners to post the note, it has led to social media chatter on both Japanese and Chinese social media platforms, according to a report in South China Morning Post. While some nationalist locals have supported the restaurant's decision, Chinese social media users have expressed disappointment and anger at the discriminatory attitude.

"A restaurant that posts such a note has even worse manners than the rude customers," one social media user said, while another added: "It is cheap to attract customers under the banner of patriotism."

Previous instances

This is not the first instance when restaurants from either of the two nations have caused controversy. In 2020, when the pandemic was still in its infancy, a restaurant in northeastern China's Shenyang unfurled a big, red banner to celebrate that the United States and Japan had been hit by coronavirus.

"Congratulations to the United States for the outbreak of Coronavirus and wish the pandemic lasts forever in Japan," read the banner.

As the controversy snowballed, the restaurant manager was sacked for hanging the offensive banner without permission.

"We apologise for the negative social influence caused by our employee," the restaurant said in a statement.

Banner at restaurant in #CCP ruled #China says: "Congratulations on the #epidemic in the US! We wish the epidemic in dwarf Japan will last forever and ever!"
What do you think? I call it anti-humanity. Do these kinds of people have the right to protest again "racism"? #CCPVirus pic.twitter.com/N6dODztUI8

— Inconvenient Truths by Jennifer Zeng (@jenniferzeng97) March 23, 2020

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In 2023, a Chinese restaurant in Tokyo posted a note banning Chinese people as they wanted to prevent the "China virus". Another Tokyo restaurant posted on social media that it had banned Chinese and South Korean customers last July.

Historically, Japan does not share a pleasant relationship with China. The territorial disputes and World War II embittered grievances have marred the Japan-China relationship for decades.