American tourist arrested for vandalizing Tokyo's sacred gate

Officers arrested the American tourist on Thursday, accusing him of desecrating one of the pillars of the traditional torii gate by scratching several letters with his fingernail. The detainee admitted to the charges, explaining that he engraved the letters as a joke. The 65-year-old arrived in Japan on Monday for a vacation with his family.

The local media did not disclose what penalty the suspect might face. The police also did not provide details regarding the content of the engraved signs. This is another incident of this kind in recent times.

On Sunday, markings resembling Chinese characters were discovered on another gate leading to the Meiji Jingu shrine. This week, the police also launched an investigation after finding a symbol meaning "death" in two places on a stone wall of the Yasukuni shrine in Tokyo.

In June and August, the pillars of the Yasukuni shrine gate were covered with the word "toilet" in English and Chinese. Yasukuni is a controversial site as it commemorates over 2 million Japanese who died in World War II, including 14 politicians and military commanders recognized as war criminals by an international tribunal.

The shrine was completed and dedicated to Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken in 1920, eight years after the emperor’s death and six years after the empress’s death. The shrine was destroyed during the war but was soon rebuilt afterward. Since then, it has been one of the constant attractions for tourists arriving in Tokyo.

Visitors can participate in typical Shinto activities, such as making offerings in the main hall. In the first days of the New Year, millions visit the shrine to partake in the year's first prayers — no other shrine or sanctuary records such numbers.