President Invests Between $1 Million and $5 Million in Sushi Chain

Financial disclosures released this week show a purchase of between $1 million and $5 million worth of shares in Kura Sushi USA earlier this year. The company operates more than a dozen locations across the Los Angeles region, including restaurants in Little Tokyo, Koreatown, Sawtelle, Arcadia, Glendale, Sherman Oaks and Torrance. Kura Sushi USA is controlled by a Japan-based parent company.

The restaurant brand uses a revolving sushi concept where plates of nigiri, rolls and side dishes travel through dining rooms on conveyor belts. Customers can place custom orders using touchscreen tablets, with food arriving through a second express lane.

Kura markets the experience as eater-tainment, combining traditional Japanese dishes with arcade-like elements. After diners finish a certain number of plates, they can win prizes tied to Japanese pop culture franchises, while drinks are sometimes delivered by robotic servers.

Menu offerings range from bluefin tuna and salmon roe to crispy rice hot dogs and cod fish tacos. The company traces its roots back to Japan in 1977 before expanding in the United States.

The investment coincided with the company's stock climbing more than 5 percent after the purchase became public. Shares connected to the chain's Japanese parent company also rose in Tokyo trading following reports of the purchase. A spokesperson for the organization has said all assets are managed independently by third-party financial institutions responsible for all investment decisions.