Japanese → English transcript

A notice banning entry was posted on a sign near the entrance of an izakaya. The content of this notice, posted on the former Twitter X, is stirring controversy.

Notice All Nankai Electric Railway personnel are prohibited from entering.

After entry, once it is known that you are with Nankai, we will ask you to pay and leave.

They even added an angry face and an anger symbol to this message, strongly insisting that the people be banned from entering. What on earth happened between them and the Nankai Electric Railway personnel who came as customers?

I think it was last fall, in the late autumn. There were eleven of us, and around three hours was enough.

That whole ruckus, they really went all out. According to the owner, the Nankai Electric Railway people then

paid the food and drink bill of fifty-six thousand yen and left the restaurant. The trouble started after that.

After they left, I bet they thought, “Hey, something’s off.” Someone, and then one after another,

kept saying, “Show us the itemized bill. Hey, what’s this? Show that, show this.” One of them, a woman, said, “This is expensive, it’s a rip-off,” and caused a scene.

I totally lost it. Things really blew up in the end.

Ah, the trouble regarding the payment amount was

This is an izakaya (Japanese pub) in Izumisano City, Osaka Prefecture, that is frequently visited by people associated with Nankai Electric Railway. However, disputes with Nankai Electric Railway personnel have escalated to the point where the police were called.

Still not satisfied, the shop owner says he made a suggestion to finally put an end to it.

When they asked, “How much will satisfy you?” we said we’d be satisfied with 4,000 yen per person

So we calculated eleven years as 44,000 yen and refunded 12,000 yen

The matter was settled with a compromise: a 12,000 yen discount from the original price. I think that meant 30,000 yen per person.

I don't know about the accusations of overcharging, but if I'm getting a fair price, why don't people complain that much?

When you think about how much we drank, how much we drank in those three hours?

Nankai Electric Railway issued a public apology in response to a phone interview regarding a dispute with a store over payment.

We sincerely apologize for the disturbance caused by our employee.

Then, regarding their understanding of the entry ban, they commented as follows.

As we recognize this as an incident outside the scope of our business operations, we will refrain from commenting.

Legally speaking, is there no problem with putting up a sign refusing entry like this time?

If what is written here were, so to speak, insulting, a completely different issue would arise, but since the content is not insulting, I do not think the sign itself is illegal.

And today, the owner says they received a phone call from Nankai Electric Railway asking them to take down the sign.

The owner agreed to the request and, while cutting the sign off with a utility knife, said this.

In the end, having peace without any trouble is best.

In this way, the “entry banned” sign was tucked away deep in the owner’s heart.