Woman arrested in Japan for squashing bun at convenience store

A woman in Fukuoka, Japan, has been arrested for allegedly squashing a bun at a Lawson convenience store before leaving without purchasing it.

The incident occurred on Monday, and the 40-year-old woman was charged with "criminal damage," according to authorities.

The woman, who identified herself as unemployed, claimed she was merely checking the firmness of the bun by pressing it lightly with her hand.

Police reported that she had touched a bag containing four black sesame and cream cheese buns. Although the bag's wrapper remained intact, one of the buns was damaged when she pressed it with her right thumb, rendering the entire bag unsellable.

The store owner stated that he had witnessed the woman squashing buns on multiple occasions in the past. As she attempted to leave the store on Monday, he noticed the damaged bun and requested that she pay for it. The cost of the bag of buns was approximately 180 yen (USD 1.20).

The woman allegedly refused to comply, leading the store manager to follow her for about 1km before restraining her. The police were called, and she was subsequently arrested.

In recent years, authorities in Japan have increased efforts to address "sushi terrorism," where individuals have engaged in acts of vandalism at sushi conveyor belt restaurants, such as licking communal soy sauce bottles and squashing sushi meant for customers.