Japan sushi giant pulls campaign with manga character Chiikawa after employee steals prizes

TOKYO - Japanese conveyor-belt sushi operator Kura Sushi cancelled a promotion it was running in collaboration with manga character Chiikawa from Sept 6 after an employee was found to have stolen prizes from one of its stores.The sushi giant uncovered the misconduct through an internal investigation after a large number of items appeared for resale on an online marketplace.The promotional items included capsule toys, cups and pouches featuring the hamster-like character, whose popularity surged following a hit movie this summer.Kura ended the month-long campaign early and offered a temporary 10 per cent discount across its stores as an apology. The company is collecting all remaining items from its stores and is consulting the police as it continues its investigation, a spokesperson for the company said.Kura’s shares fell as much as 3.7 per cent in Tokyo trading on Sept 7. Japanese brands have faced scrutiny as limited-edition promotional goods draw intense demand from resellers, undermining campaigns often intended for children.In August 2025, McDonald’s Japan halted a Pokemon promotion after the first day as stores were flooded with scalpers seeking trading cards with Happy Meals.McDonald’s had seen a similar surge in interest a few months earlier following a collaboration that also involved Chiikawa.The protagonist of a web manga series, Chiikawa, whose name roughly translates to “something small and cute”, has been climbing the ranks alongside iconic Japanese characters such as Hello Kitty.In July, Toho released Chiikawa The Movie: The Secret Of The Mermaid Island, which became a hit as the franchise drew fans not only among children, but also adults, with its unexpectedly mature storyline.According to Toho, the movie’s box-office revenue surpassed 12.2 billion yen (S$99.05 million) by Aug 30. BLOOMBERG