An Asian restaurant in Cheadle Hulme in Greater Manchester has issued an apology over its name and has vowed to change it after it was met with backlash from members of the Japanese community. Jap To Go opened in December 2024 and has its name displayed in large letters on its shop front. But the restaurant's name has been criticised for its use of the term 'Jap' which is deemed offensive and racist by many.

Restaurant owners have said that the first part of the restaurant's name stands for 'Japanese Authentic Perfection' but has promised to change it once it can afford to replace its signage. A number of social media users have called out the use of the term 'Jap' in the eatery's name, pointing out how it is a known offensive slur used against people from Japan. One X user called it "offensive and ignorant" while another labelled it "a very offensive word to Japanese people".

The restaurant owner, Karim Mansour, has since issued a statement and explained that he "fully understands the reason for the criticism."

He said: "We’ve heard your feedback, and we want to offer our sincere apology to those who have been hurt or offended by our restaurant’s name.

"When we opened “JAP TO GO,” our intention was never to cause harm. The name was originally meant to represent: J – Japanese, A – Authentic, P – Perfection. But regardless of that original meaning, we now understand the impact the name has had. I want to speak from the heart and share where I stand."

He continued: "I have always loved and respected Japanese people, culture, and food. My goal in opening this restaurant was to celebrate and share the beauty of Japanese cuisine and tradition with my local community.

"If you’ve visited, you’ve likely seen this reflected in many small details — from the care we put into our food, to things like Japanese flag colouring sheets for children.

"We now fully understand that the name of our restaurant has upset and hurt many people — especially in the Japanese community — and I want to say clearly: that was never our intention, and we are truly sorry for the pain it caused."

He added: "As a small independent business, we are currently not in the financial position to make a full rebrand immediately. However, we are fully committed to changing the name and moving forward with greater care, humility, and respect. We’re listening. We’re learning. And we hope to move forward together — with humility and care."

The restraurant serves a variety of Asian dishes from Japan and China, such as nigiri, gyoza, edamame, katsu curry and bao buns.