American tourist arrested for allegedly defacing gate at Tokyo shrine

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

The suspect, Steve Lee Hayes, was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of property damage, a Tokyo Metropolitan Police spokesperson told CNN.

Police said the man allegedly defaced the pillar of a shrine gate in Tokyo’s Shibuya Ward on Tuesday, “carving the alphabet with his fingernails.”

According to public broadcaster NHK, five letters – believed to be the tourist’s family name – were allegedly etched into a gate pillar at Tokyo’s Meiji Shrine.

Police reportedly identified the suspect by reviewing security camera footage and have launched an investigation.

Located adjacent to the city’s sprawling Yoyogi Park, Meiji Shrine first opened in 1920 and was dedicated to Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken. The complex was destroyed during World War II but rebuilt in the 1950s.

Entrances to the shrine feature huge wooden gates, known as torii, which are crowned with distinct curved beams.

The suspect, who was visiting Japan with his family, faces up to three years in prison or a fine of up to 300,000 yen ($1,918) for the alleged vandalism.

The arrest is the latest in a string of tourist-related incidents to make headlines as Japan experiences record visitor numbers.

Earlier this year, a small town at the base of Mount Fuji gained international attention for blocking views of the famed icon with a black barrier after it was overrun with photo-hungry tourists. According to some of the town’s residents, the visitors left behind trash and ignored traffic rules, despite the presence of signs and security guards.

In September, local police told CNN a 61-year-old Austrian man was arrested for having sex on the grounds of a shrine in Kesennuma — a small coastal town about 500 kilometers (310 miles) north of Tokyo — and faced charges of disrespecting a place of worship.

Meanwhile, in 2023, a 17-year-old Canadian was brought in for questioning for allegedly carving a name into a wooden pillar at a UNESCO-listed temple in the historic city of Nara, Japan, according to local police.

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