Giant rolls of paper await processing into toilet paper rolls on March 3 at a factory of Corelex Shinei in Fuji, Shizuoka Prefecture (Shinnosuke Ito)

YONAGO, Tottori Prefecture--A health cooperative association here said it will take strict disciplinary action against an employee whose false information about the coronavirus outbreak fueled a mass hoarding of toilet paper across Japan.

The association issued a statement titled “Report on and apology for employee’s misconduct” on its website on March 3 under the name of Dai Kajino, the director of the association.

The statement said the association deeply apologizes for the employee’s “extremely inappropriate behavior” that caused trouble for so many people.

It added that the employee faces “stringent disciplinary measures” in accordance with the association’s regulations.

The association said it learned that the employee was among a number of people who posted false information on social media about the toilet paper supply in Japan amid the spread of novel coronavirus infections.

Such viral posts falsely claimed that the country would run out of toilet paper because “face masks and toilet paper are made of the same raw material” and “Japan can’t import toilet paper rolls made in China.”

As a result, toilet paper and tissues quickly sold out at stores in many parts of the country. Truly desperate people could buy toilet paper rolls at high prices on flea market apps and auction sites.

The government and the paper industry have urged people to remain calm, saying they have an ample stock of toilet paper.