12-9-203 (TOKYO) How do you deal with car owners who persistently park illegally? Employees at a Japanese restaurant recently covered a car, which had violated parking rules in the restaurant’s parking lot, with warning papers. It’s estimated that they used over 250 sheets of A4 paper for this unconventional act. The photos of this incident have gone viral, sparking discussions in Japan.
The white papers were inscribed with the restaurant’s “warning message,” which conveyed the message that despite repeated requests from the restaurant, the driver continued to park their car in the restaurant’s parking lot for extended periods.
This SUKIYA branch, located in Tokyo, revealed that the car in question had continuously violated parking regulations by parking in their lot from around 9 AM to approximately 8:30 PM on both the 2nd and 3rd of the month. The employees of the restaurant then printed out numerous “warning messages” and plastered them all over the car. The photos of this incident were later shared on social media.
Estimates from Fuji Television Network News (FNN) suggest that the car’s front had 73 papers, the sides had 72, and even the tires were not spared, with 7 rolled-up papers inserted into the wheels. Furthermore, 37 papers were placed on the rear of the car, making an approximate total of 286 A4 sheets used.
The public’s opinion on this bold warning action is divided. Some believe that even though the papers were plastered, it was justified because the parking violation occurred first. However, others think it went too far, with just one paper being sufficient.
Regarding the legality of such a warning method, lawyer Daigo Ikuta stated that posting papers on the car is not illegal. However, if the adhesive leaves marks on the vehicle, it may lead to claims for “property damage,” so he does not recommend this approach.
Nonetheless, dealing with cars that persistently park illegally in the restaurant’s parking lot, even after reporting them to the police, can be challenging. Daigo suggested that the restaurant could record the car’s license plate, take photos of the parking violation, and then request damages equivalent to parking fees, which is a legally valid approach.
As some of the papers attached to the car were blown away by the wind, creating a nuisance for nearby neighbors, the restaurant later collected most of the papers, leaving only one. The car owner subsequently came forward and stated they would not repeat the violation.
Regarding the actions of their employees, SUKIYA’s public relations department stated that the employees’ response to the incident was clearly excessive. The company has issued a strict warning and provided guidance on the appropriate way to handle parking violations.
