Take our user survey and make your voice heard.
On Jan 6 around 3:30 p.m. in Saga City, a 62-year-old man overcome by extreme hunger mistook the plastic food samples in the window of a restaurant for the real thing. He entered the restaurant with the thought of snatching the food from the inside of the showcase to eat.
Now, if you haven’t seen them before, plastic food samples are common at Japanese restaurants. They allow diners to get a sneak peek of what they might want order on the menu (and are great for visitors who don’t speak Japanese to simply point at). To be fair, the models are incredibly realistic and often artistically arranged in store windows. There’s even an annual contest sponsored by the leading plastic food maker in Japan.
Upon entering the restaurant, the man noticed that the cash register’s drawer was open, so he decided to switch tactics to trying to steal some money instead. However, the restaurant’s manager then caught him red-handed in the act. He tried to flee but a worker caught him right outside of the entrance and he was arrested. The man admitted to attempting to steal the money, and during questioning the police determined that he was unemployed and had no money in his possession.
Japanese net user reactions were of a mixed bag:
“I’m not sure whether this is a funny or sad story…”
“Plastic food makers are sinful.”
“Would anyone really believe that he thought they were real?”
“If I were him I would have sat down to eat something and then said that I had no money and gotten arrested.”
“I can’t think of this as anything other than heartbreaking.”
Source: Yahoo! Japan News via Hachima Kiko
Read more stories from SoraNews24.
-- Man arrested for buying cup meant for 100-yen coffee but pouring 150-yen latte into it
-- Love Japan’s realistic fake food? Now you can wear it on your head as an accessory! 【Pics】
-- Famous plastic food maker’s annual contest yields amazing results【Photos】
© SoraNews24
10 Comments
Login to comment
sensei258
Just looking for three Hots and a cot
Aly Rustom
I agree. The man was obviously very hungry and had no money. It is heartbreaking
NOMINATION
Though at 62, he should know by now about the samples in the window. I do know that I thought some of that food was real too when I first came to Japan thinking that they made fresh food that they put in the window.
Pukey2
Punishment - eat that plastic sample!
Leo
There must be foodshelves in Japan to help people.
Goodlucktoyou
with so much food waste in Japan, they should just feed these people, at a discrete distance.
Mat my train station, stupid people give cans of cat food to diseased wild cats. But never humans.
sir_bentley28
He sounds like he might have been suffering from the early stages of delirium through hunger. To a starving person, the sight of those displays looking so real will make a man go mad!
rgcivilian1
In a world where food is abundant in most parts, but in Japan there is no reason for this person to have gone hungry. One doesn't know until they have been there and know real hunger and what one will do for a meal. This is increasingly growing issue in Japan every year as its all about money or nothing. People for the most part have lost or refuse to recognize compassion for fellow man. Could be all the bad publicity in helping a stranger but that doesn't excuse the decision not to help anyway. Yesterday I saw a two women in their late 30s, going into a chicken rotisserie business and a disabled woman being led by a caregiver going in the same place. one of he 2 women pushed thru the disabled and caregiver like as if food was running out, and the caregiver in a loud voice said, hey there's enough chicken for everyone no need to rush like that as if its your last meal or the place is running out of chicken. On e the way out the both women got their chicken, and then at the time proceeded to be kind and hold the door open as the disabled lady and caregiver made their way up the steps, but the caregiver said too late, that should have been done before not after. You have no manners and only holding the door to soother your own guilt. Sorry we dont' need this kind of help. Get out.
Monozuki
Given that the 62-year-old man with such a good appetite, chances are very low that he's infected with covid-19.
Brian Wheway
Oh boy this is quite sad really, there is so much waste in the world its unreal, one of my sons friends us to run a well known coffee shop chain here in the UK, the doors were closed at the end of the day and they were throwing all of the sandwiches, cakes, muffins into the dumpster bin, my son said can he take some home for his lunch the next day, no, was the reply as it would be steeling! it has to be thrown away company regulations! there was absolutely nothing wrong with them, they don't even allow the local homeless shelter to take them just in case any one get ill, as the co could be sued!!
Another great idea thats been rolled out near me, is when you go into a coffee/sandwich shop is that you can donate a coffee or something to eat to a homeless person, when some one who is in desperate need to eat or drink there is a credit tab with donations on it.