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.

The broadcaster got a measure order to publicly correct the false 'first' claims and prevent recurrence, the first such order against a 'first' appeal.

Four shops were billed as 'Hiroshima first' — every one had appeared at events in the prefecture before.

The claim ran across TV commercials, newspaper inserts and venue flyers through the event's two weekends in November 2024.

'First' sells novelty; when the novelty is false, the event's whole pitch is misleading.

'First' is a fact, not hype: TV Shin-Hiroshima billed four ramen shops as Hiroshima debuts, and Japan issued its first measure order under the misleading-representations act against a 'first' appeal.

The measure order of 15 October 2025 required TV Shin-Hiroshima to publicly notify consumers that the 'Hiroshima first' displays were misleading and to prevent recurrence. It was reported as the first measure order targeting '初' (first) appeals under the Act.