Customers are seen through the windows of a McDonald's store (top) in Tokyo, while others stand in line in front of cash registers, July 22, 2014.



McDonald's Holdings Co (Japan) said it halted sales of all products that use chicken meat that originates in China on Friday, switching its sourcing completely to Thailand.

McDonald's Japan had already stopped selling items that used meat sourced from Shanghai Husi Food Co, a China-based supplier that had been shut down over food safety concerns. Shanghai Husi had supplied about 20 percent of its Chicken McNuggets.

"We made this decision in view of the growing concern over McDonald's chicken products made in China," McDonald's Japan Chief Executive Sarah Casanova said in a statement.

McDonald's Japan said some stores could sell out of chicken-based items depending on the level of available inventory.