Kura Sushi cancels Chiikawa collaboration due to employee prize theft

Kura Sushi has announced the cancellation of its collaboration campaign with the popular character 'Chiikawa' following the discovery of prize embezzlement by an employee.

The decision follows widespread complaints on social media from customers who reported being unable to obtain limited-edition prizes despite significant spending. This coincided with a surge of collaboration merchandise appearing on resale platforms like Mercari. An internal investigation and inventory audit revealed that an employee at at least one location had been misappropriating prizes.

Legal experts note that the perpetrator could face criminal charges for either embezzlement or theft, depending on their management authority. While Kura Sushi has stated it will take strict legal action and is cooperating with authorities and Mercari to remove illicit listings, the company faces significant social responsibility regarding its inventory management systems.