The Japan Sommelier Association has found that pins it issues to those who pass the sommelier and other wine expert qualifications have been sold on auction sites despite a ban, and that some of the pins are fake, association officials said Monday.
The association has alerted restaurants that fake lapel pins might be misused by unqualified individuals to try to secure employment, saying it has taken legal action in malicious cases.
Among such cases is that of a man who sold 38 fake pins for a total of ¥1.3 million ($11,800) on an auction site. The association sued him and won damages.