American Tourist Arrested for Vandalism at Tokyo Shrine

tokyo - A 65-year-old American tourist has been arrested in Tokyo for allegedly scratching a pillar at the famous Meiji Jingu shrine with his fingernails. Concerns over disrespectful behavior of tourists in Japan are on the rise.

A 65-year-old American tourist has been arrested in Tokyo for allegedly scratching a pillar at the famous Meiji Jingu shrine with his fingernails. The man reportedly carved five letters on a surface of 5 by 6 centimeters. A police spokeswoman confirmed that he was arrested on suspicion of property damage.

Last month, a woman from Chile faced online criticism after posting a video of herself pulling up on a red gate at another Japanese shrine. The fitness influencer, with 139,000 followers on Instagram, later apologized, stating that it was not her intention to show disrespect.

Japan aims to welcome 60 million visitors annually by 2030, double the record number from 2019. However, some locals are expressing frustration over the behavior of tourists. In Kyoto, residents are complaining about tourists bothering the famous geishas of the city.

In May, a city near Mount Fuji installed a large barrier at a popular viewpoint due to an increase in visitors obstructing traffic to take photos. New crowd control measures have also been implemented on the most popular hiking trail on the mountain, which now has an entrance fee of 2,000 yen (€13).