On the 5th, a post on China's social media platform Xiaohongshu (RED) stating, "My illusions about Japanese food hygiene were shattered before my own eyes," drew a strong reaction.

According to the poster, while shopping at a supermarket, a clerk arranging fish at the fresh fish counter accidentally dropped one fillet on the floor. Then, the mother who was watching nearby said, "Watch this. They'll put that back on display later." The poster refuted, saying, "That can't be true. This is Japan, they're definitely going to throw it away." However, less than 20 seconds later, the clerk reportedly washed the dropped fillet with water and placed it back on display.

The poster wrote, "I felt like I was slapped in the face (betrayed). I had always thought that Japan had strict food hygiene control, so I really didn't imagine seeing such a scene. Of course, what I saw was just this one time, so I don't think all stores or all employees are the same," and finally asked, "If you saw such a sight, would you still buy it?"

In response, Chinese netizens commented: "So you've been deceived since you were little." "Your illusions about Japan are severe." "It's about time to remove your rose-tinted glasses about Japan." "Japanese people are human too. Every country is the same." "I worked in the fresh fish section of a Japanese supermarket more than ten years ago, and they regularly picked up tuna blocks dropped on the floor, washed them, then cut and packed them. Japan's glittering facade is only a small part of the surface." "I've worked part-time at a Japanese supermarket, and the number of cockroaches in the kitchen is more than you can imagine." "My grandmother worked at a Japanese supermarket 30 years ago, and even then, replacing expiration date labels was commonplace." "Even at street stalls, Japanese people take cash with bare hands and then handle food with those same hands. It truly blows my mind."

On the other hand, voices of defense were not few, such as: "The clerk washed it, didn't they?" "Isn't it normal to wash it and put it back?" "I don't like Japan, but I don't quite understand the criticism. Isn't this fish meant to be cooked before eating?" "If it's not for raw consumption, washing it with water should be fine." "Otherwise, what are you supposed to do? Throw it away just because it fell on the floor?" "When fish are unloaded from fishing boats, they are also placed on the ground, right? I don't see what the problem is." "People would wash and eat meat even if they dropped it in their own kitchen, wouldn't they?" (Translation/Editing by Kitada)