Grenade thrown at under-construction Japanika in Hadera as attacks against sushi chain continue

Early Sunday morning, police launched an investigation into a flash grenade thrown at a building under construction in Hadera, which is reported to be a new location for the sushi chain Japanika. No injuries were reported, and the incident is being treated as criminal. Around 4:20 a.m., the grenade was thrown at the commercial section of the new Aura residential complex on Herbert Samuel Street.

Despite the complex primarily being inhabited, the businesses were not yet open, and most of the structure was still under construction.

The damage was limited to a storefront under construction, adorned with Japanika signs, located in the northwestern section of the complex. A second Japanika-signed storefront, situated in the northeastern area, remained unscathed. This incident marks the latest in a series of attacks against branches of the Japanika chain, which is owned by businessman Barak Abramov.

The escalating conflict between crime families has been characterized by a series of grenade throwings, a pipe bomb explosion, and gunfire at various locations where Japanika branches are situated. These locations include Netanya, Afula, Herzliya, Givatayim, Kiryat Ono, and Ramat Gan, with only property damage reported. Police suspect that these attacks are part of an escalation in the ongoing conflict between the Musli and Jarushi criminal organizations.

Barak Abramov, the owner of Japanika, is not currently considered a suspect in the case, but sources suggest he is perceived as being affiliated with elements in the Jarushi family. Consequently, the chain's branches have become targets for elements linked to the Musli organization. The conflict's background is believed to stem from a dispute over tens of millions of dollars in cryptocurrency.