Cockroach, Slug Found in School Lunches in Kumamoto Pref.

The Yomiuri Shimbun

13:18 JST, September 23, 2023

KUMAMOTO — A cockroach and slug were found in school lunches served this month at an elementary school in Yamaga, Kumamoto Prefecture, the city’s board of education said Friday.

The pests were found at the city-run Kamoto Elementary School, according to the board’s announcement. A 1-centimter-long cockroach was found on Sept. 1 and a 1.5-centimeter-long slug was found on Sept. 15. Both were found in boiled barley rice. The rice was also provided to other schools, but there have been no reports of any other locations finding them.

No children have complained of illness as of Thursday. The city’s food service center that prepares school lunches is deteriorating, so the board announced that meals prepared at other facilities will be provided to schools starting next week.