American tourist arrested in Tokyo for defacing shrine gate

A 65-year-old American tourer has been arrested successful Japan for allegedly defacing a woody gross astatine a shrine successful Tokyo, according to section police.

Steve Lee Hayes has reportedly admitted to penning “his household member’s names” connected the pillar of a torii gross astatine the Meiji Shrine successful the Shibuya ward of Tokyo connected Tuesday, the Japan Times reported.

Torii gates, structures recovered astatine the entranceway of Shinto shrines crossed Japan, symbolize the modulation from the mundane to the sacred. The Meiji Shrine was established successful 1920 successful grant of Emperor Meiji, Japan’s 112nd emperor who ascended to the throne successful 1867, and his woman Empress Shoken.

The alleged incidental occurred conscionable aft 11 a.m. connected Tuesday. According to the police’s planetary transgression division, the American, whose code and concern person not been disclosed, utilized his fingernails to etch 5 letters into 1 of the gates.

Investigators utilized information camera footage to apprehension Hayes, who arrived successful Japan with his household connected Monday. He was detained astatine his Tokyo edifice 2 days aboriginal connected suspicion of spot damage.

It was not instantly wide if Hayes remained successful custody connected Thursday.