Chinese Influencer Sparks Controversy in Japan Over Restaurant Confrontation

Tokyo restaurant subjected to abuse and harassment from Chinese ultranationalists after refusing service to Chinese customers amid new respiratory infections.

A group of Chinese tourists walks through the Ginza district during the China's National Day holiday in Tokyo, Japan on Oct. 1, 2023. Tomohiro Ohsumi/Getty Images

A Chinese influencer in Japan sparked online controversy over his aggressive tactics towards a restaurant owner in Tokoyo who refused service to Chinese customers due to China’s new wave of respiratory infections.

This follows three years of the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused great damage to Japanese businesses, especially those in the restaurant industry. Now that another wave of mysterious respiratory infections has surfaced in China, the owner of the “Chuka Seitaigo” restaurant posted a sign on his eatery’s front door refusing service to visitors from China, which led to an aggressive confrontation with Chinese influencer “Youtou Siliufen” that was captured on video.