A 65-year-old American tourist has been arrested in Japan for allegedly carving letters into a torii gate at a Tokyo shrine.

An American tourist was arrested for defacing one of Tokyo’s most sacred shrines after he allegedly etched letters into its traditional wooden gate. Steve Hayes, 65, had been touring Japan with his family since Monday and was back at his hotel when police came knocking this week.

Steve Lee Hayes carved letters onto a pillar of a gate of a shrine in Shibuya and was arrested on suspicion of property damage, Tokyo police said.

A 65-year-old American tourist has been arrested in Japan for carving letters into a wooden gate at a shrine in Tokyo.

A 65-year-old American tourist has been arrested in Japan after being accused of vandalizing a shrine. Steve Lee Hayes was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of property damage, a Tokyo Metropolitan Police spokesperson told TheJapan Times.

An American visiting Japan with his family has been arrested on suspicion of vandalism after allegedly desecrating Tokyo’s Meiji Jingu Shrine. According to Reuters, the 65-year-old (identified as Steve Lee Hayes) clawed five letters representing family names into a pillar of the Torii gates with his fingernails.

An American tourist who arrived in Japan with his family on Monday might be staying in the country for a lot longer than he had intended. Police say 65-year-old Steve Lee Hayes vandalized a pillar at one of the country's most prominent Shinto shrines on his second day in the country,

An American man is arrested on suspicion of vandalizing Tokyo's Meiji Shrine:: Tokyo, Japan:: November 14, 2024:: File:: Police say the 65-year-old used his fingernail to etch letters into a wooden pillar Japan welcomed nearly 27 million visitors through September,

Tokyo Metropolitan Police alleged that the 65-year-old man used his fingernails to carve five letters into the pillar of a torii gate at the popular tourist spot.