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The man shared that he had brought dinner from a different 7-Eleven and asked the staff at another to reheat the food after it went cold, which they readily agreed to do
Once the owner came out, learned about his nationality, she called the police (Image: Instagram/@onroadindian)
What was supposed to be an ordinary visit to a convenience store for an Indian traveller in Japan turned into an uncomfortable experience after he asked the staff to reheat the food that he had purchased. The situation took a turn for the worse when the store owner allegedly asked him about his nationality and, after he identified himself as an India, called the police.
The incident was shared on Instagram by travel content creator named Anant M, who was enjoying his final day of the trip in Shizuoka, Japan. He brought his dinner from a 7-Eleven store and asked another staff member to reheat the food, as it had gone cold while he was walking.
He said that the staff, who was from Nepal, agreed to help and began heating the food. While the food was being reheated, a woman, whom he identified as the store owner, approached him, asking what he was doing. He told her that he had requested the staff to reheat his food and they agreed.
Things took a turn when she asked where he was from and became aggressive. “I said, ‘I’m from India,’ and then she called the police,” Anant said in the video. He shared that Japanese police arrived at the store within minutes after being called by the owner. He said he had been recording the interaction and asked the officers to review the footage before reaching a conclusion.
The officers watched the video and determined that he had not done anything wrong. He further claimed that the police apologised to him and reprimanded the store owner over the incident.
Further in the clip, the creator also praised the Nepali employee who attempted to support his side of the story during the confrontation. He claimed that the employee faced pressure during the incident for refusing to support the claims made against him and said that he might have lost his job.
He ended the clip by expressing his gratitude to the Japanese police. He said, “These people are really very nice. Thank you very much.”
“Such Behaviour Exists Everywhere”
The video has since prompted discussions online about how Indian visitors are treated in Japan. While some users praised the police and the Nepali employee, others urged travellers to remain cautious of such untoward incidents.
“Big salute for Nepali guy,” said a user.
Another shared, “I’ve lived in Japan for 7 years. I’m Nepali, and I’ve seen the prejudice toward brown (especially Indian) firsthand. Yes, some tourists behave badly—but judging over a billion people because of a few isn’t culture, it’s prejudice.”
Someone else remarked, “Japan is the most racist country in the whole world.”
“Give it back as you get it then. Things will be fine. Such behaviour exists everywhere, I guess, and depends on the people; nothing to do with the country persay,” an individual commented.
Meanwhile, a different person said, “Not sure why all negative stuff happens with you…. that too in Japan.. You should be aware of the strict food safety rules… It’s not always about racism.”
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A team of writers at News18.com bring you stories on what’s creating the buzz on the Internet while exploring science, cricket, tech, gender, Bollywood, and culture.
August 11, 2026, 19:30 IST
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