Chinese media outlet 21st Century Business Herald reported on the 9th that 'a rush of bankruptcies among ramen restaurants is occurring in Japan.' However, Chinese netizens have been deluged with retorts asking, 'What about your own country?'

The article stated that 'a rush of bankruptcies among small and medium-sized enterprises is intensifying in Japan. As a representative example, ramen restaurants, according to a survey by Tokyo Shoko Research, saw their bankruptcies in January-June this year increase by 44.4% year-on-year, reaching a record high since statistics began in 2009.' However, the same media outlet did not mention that the actual number of bankruptcies was 25 cases for January-June 2025 and 36 cases for January-June this year, instead emphasizing only the figure of '44.4% increase.'

The article pointed out that the reasons for the ramen industry's predicament include rising ingredient prices and energy costs, persistent labor shortages in the food and beverage industry, and further inflated labor costs due to minimum wage increases. It stated that many restaurants are forced to operate with only a husband and wife, which not only affects the quality of service but also exposes the owners themselves to harsh working conditions.

Furthermore, quoting Zhang Yugui (ジャン・ユーグイ), Director of the Center for Financial Innovation and Development at Shanghai International Studies University, the article reported: 'Structural issues such as stagnant labor productivity, declining industrial competitiveness, and the progression of a declining birthrate and aging population are continuously weakening the fundamentals that support the yen exchange rate. As macroeconomic improvements lack momentum, small and medium-sized enterprises inherently have low risk tolerance, and the impact of the depreciating yen is rapidly spreading, making the succession of corporate bankruptcies unsurprising.'

On the other hand, Chinese netizens responded to this report with a flurry of comments such as: 'Why don't you look at the domestic situation?', 'You should pay close attention to your own country', 'Are you in a position to laugh at others?', 'Fifty steps, one hundred steps', 'You only care about overseas matters, but your own country's situation isn't good either', 'There are far more bankruptcies among Chinese restaurants', 'Let's stop magnifying other people's problems with a magnifying glass. If you have time to scrutinize others, you should first look at yourself', and 'Look at how many businesses in China are going bankrupt. Restaurant bankruptcies are as numerous as the hairs on an ox (innumerable).'

Among these, the comment that gathered the most likes was the point: 'Why don't you report the actual number of bankruptcies (of Japanese ramen restaurants)?' In response, another user replied, 'There were just over 30 bankruptcies this year, and just over 20 last year,' and yet another user posted a comment deriding the Chinese media's reporting style, saying, 'You call that a 'bankruptcy rush' (lol)?'

Furthermore, one user explained: 'A total of 25 ramen restaurants went bankrupt in Japan from January-June 2025, which was less than one-third of the number of Lanzhou ramen restaurants that go bankrupt in China in a single day. In the same period of 2026, the number of bankruptcies among Japanese ramen restaurants surged to 36, but even that is only half the number of Lanzhou ramen restaurants that go bankrupt in China in a single day,' and this comment also garnered many likes. (Translation/Editing by Kitada)