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False Claim of “Muslim Lunches” Makes Japan’s Kitakyushu a Hate Target
No, the city of Kitakyushu isn’t offering “Muslim lunches” to students. Other schools in Japan, however, have — and with heartwarming results.
By Saki Toi
Misinformation about school lunches has sparked a storm in Kitakyushu City in Fukuoka Prefecture. There, false claims of Muslim-friendly meals triggered more than 1,000 complaints and disrupted city operations. The controversy stemmed from confusion over an allergy-friendly lunch served once in 2023 and a petition later scrapped in 2025.
While the city faced backlash, towns in Ibaraki Prefecture have moved in the opposite direction. There, schools have introduced halal school lunches, so Muslim students can eat alongside their classmates.
City denies social media rumors of Muslim-friendly school lunches
False claims spread on social media that Kitakyushu City had decided to serve Muslim-friendly school lunches. The city soon received a flood of protest calls and emails.
