TV Shin-Hiroshima billed four ramen shops as 'first in Hiroshima' — they weren't

In November 2024, TV Shin-Hiroshima, a Fuji-network broadcaster, ran Hiroshima Ramen Stadium 2024 — two weekends of famous ramen shops from around the country. The promotion leaned on novelty: four participating shops were billed as '広島初' (Hiroshima first) in TV commercials, newspaper-insert flyers and venue handouts, including Sapporo miso shop Men-beya Tsunatori Monogatari ('Hokkaido [Sapporo] miso — Hiroshima first') and Osaka chicken-broth shop Saishiki Ramen Kinsei.

None of the four was new to the prefecture: each had appeared at the same or similar events in Hiroshima before. The Consumer Affairs Agency ruled the displays misleading representations of superiority — the 'first' claim was the point of the pitch. On 15 October 2025 the broadcaster received a measure order, reported as the first measure order under the Act against Unjustifiable Premiums and Misleading Representations specifically against a 'first/debut' appeal.

TV Shin-Hiroshima was ordered to notify consumers publicly that the displays were false, to adopt recurrence-prevention measures and to stop similar claims. The case puts event organisers — not just product sellers — on notice: a 'first' banner is a factual claim the organiser must check.