According to Chinese media Observer Network, China's Yang Guo Fu Group, which operates the Mala Tang brand "Yang Guo Fu" globally, announced on the 17th a statement apologizing for the unauthorized use of names of professional figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu and others on celebratory flowers upon the opening of its Sendai Ekimae store in Japan. In its statement, the Yang Guo Fu Group said, "It has been confirmed that our overseas franchise store, upon its opening, placed celebratory flowers in front of the store bearing the names of third parties without obtaining approval from headquarters or permission from the individuals themselves," and added, "We deeply apologize for damaging the honor of those involved and causing inconvenience." According to Observer Network, photos of the celebratory flowers in front of the store, inscribed with "Congratulations on the Opening, Yang Guo Fu Sendai Store, Yuzuru Hanyu," etc., spread on social media, and many voices criticized the store's actions, stating that "Hanyu did not send the flowers."

In its statement, the Yang Guo Fu Group explained regarding the aforementioned celebratory flowers, "It has been confirmed that none of these were presented by the individuals themselves, but were arranged independently by the store. This act constitutes a violation of the franchise agreement and our standardization and store operation management standards." They also stated that they instructed the said store to remove the celebratory flowers and delete related posts, are proceeding with an investigation into the facts, and will deal with it strictly based on the investigation results.
Furthermore, they added, "We again apologize to those whose names were used without permission. To prevent such incidents from recurring, we will thoroughly manage our overseas stores." According to the official website of Yang Guo Fu Group, Yang Guo Fu Mala Tang was founded in 2003 and operates approximately 7,000 stores in China and about 20 countries and regions overseas.

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