Setting Down the Skewer: Japan's Brazilian Food Businesses During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

This research note examines the unique impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and Japan’s government countermeasures on the Brazilian food industry in Japan, focusing primarily on churrascaria—Brazilian-style grilled meat restaurants known for buffet-style dining and tableside service. Drawing on interviews with 20 owners, workers, and suppliers, the study highlights challenges such as the stigma against buffet dining following the Diamond Princess cruise outbreak, operational restrictions, linguistic and cultural barriers faced by many immigrant workers, and difficulties in adapting to take-out models. It also addresses the precarious employment conditions of Brazilian and Nikkei Brazilian workers and the struggles of niche food suppliers excluded from subsidies. Despite these hardships, some businesses leveraged social networks and adapted their models, offering insights into the broader experiences of non-Japanese-owned food enterprises navigating the pandemic in Japan.