This incident caused a heated debate, over whether Mitsugoro was at fault for being fully aware of the danger yet consuming 4 servings of highly poisonous liver, or if the chef was at fault for making a mistake in cleaning the fish even though he was supposedly a licensed puffer fish chef.
この一件は、危険を承知の上で毒性の高い肝を実に四人前も食らげた三津五郎がいけなかったのか、フグ調理師免許を持っているはずの板前の包丁捌きがいけなかったのかで、従前にはなかった大論争を引き起こしたことでも名高い。