Gyudon operator’s executive sacked over gaffe on women

Jiji Press

17:10 JST, April 19, 2022

TOKYO (Jiji Press) — Yoshinoya Holdings Co. said Tuesday that Masaaki Ito, managing director of subsidiary Yoshinoya Co., a gyudon beef-on-rice restaurant operator, has been sacked over his derogatory remarks about women.

At its extraordinary board meeting Monday, Yoshinoya Holdings decided to dismiss Ito from his post at the subsidiary and as executive officer at the parent company the same day.

Ito made “considerably inappropriate remarks in the course of his duties that were absolutely unacceptable in light of human rights and gender equality,” the holding company said in a statement. “We offer deep apologies,” it added.

Yoshinoya Holdings also said that it will thoroughly work to ensure compliance by holding a related training session for executives of the parent and group companies in May.

At a seminar for working adults at Waseda University on Saturday, Ito as a lecturer said, among other things, that if young women who have not been treated by men with extravagant meals are targeted in sales promotion, they would get “addicted” to gyudon.