Japanese convenience store chain FamilyMart has publicly apologised following the circulation of videos online showing rats running wild in one of its branches.
One video appeared on social media on Monday 5 August, showing around a half dozen rodents scampering over and around a refrigerated fresh food cabinet containing drinks, sushi and rice boxes. The clip, which was viewed more than 5 million times in two days, can be viewed here.
A second clip also emerged from inside the store, showing rodents further exploring store shelves and running over sealed packages of baked goods, unconcerned by the presence of shoppers. That video can be viewed here.
FamilyMart, which has ‘konbini’ stores all across Japan and Asia, released a statement confirming that they had closed a store in the Shibuya district of Tokyo on 5 August to investigate and dispose of any ‘tainted’ products, as well as seeking guidance from a local health centre. They apologised for the ‘unsanitary’ footage making any customers feel ‘uneasy’.
This isn’t the first incident for a FamilyMart store. In May 2017, a FamilyMart in Shanghai Subway Station was closed to deal with a rat infestation.
