Arrest Warrant for Male US Resident over Damaged Cultural Assets

June 1, 2015  12:25pm

Police have taken out an arrest warrant for a 52 year old Japanese man from the US for questioning in regard to property damage related to successive cases of vandalism using an oil-like substance put onto cultural heritage sites around the country. It was learned that the police are currently considering having the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issue a directive that will require the man to hand in his passport.

The damages involving an oil-like substance being put onto cultural heritage sites affected 48 temples and shrines spanning 16 municipalities and prefectures. These locations include Katori Jingu and Naritasan Shinshoji Temples in Chiba Prefecture, as well as Kashima Jingu in Ibaraki Prefecture. As a result of investigations, staff members report that a man with a similar outward appearance was caught by surveillance cameras around the end of this March at all three locations.

Further examination of the footage – specifically the gait of the man who had sprinkled the oil-like substance at Chiba Prefecture’s Katori Jingu – strengthened the suspicion that it was indeed the 52 year old Japanese man, who is affiliated with a religious organization from America. As a result, they have taken out an arrest warrant on the grounds of property damage.

An individual familiar with the case reported that the suspect, in addition to currently being abroad, has not yet confirmed his plans to return to Japan. As a result, the police are investigating whether or not the Ministry of Foreign Affairs can issue a directive that will revoke his passport. According to the police, plans are in place to arrest the man upon his return to Japan. The police are currently reviewing whether there are additional cases of damage other than the ones currently confirmed.

The damage which involved an oil-like substance being sprinkled on cultural assets affected 48 temples and shrines in 16 municipalities including Nara and Kyoto Prefectures. Police in each prefecture are investigating whether the damages are in violation of the 1950 Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties.

According to the National Police Agency, as of May 29^th the number of incidents had remained the same.

Nara Prefecture was the most affected, with successive damages occurring at national treasure and important cultural asset sites. In total, 19 locations including Todaiji Temple and Toshodaiji Temple were affected.

In Kyoto, the World Heritage Sites Toji Temple, Yasaka Shrine, and three other locations were affected. In Yamagata Prefecture the 5-storied pagoda located within Dewasanzan Temple – which is a national treasure – as well as four other locations were damaged.

Moreover, three locations in Chiba Prefecture including Katori Jingu and Naritasan Shinshoji Temple, and two locations in each Tokyo and Hyogo Prefectures were also damaged.

In addition, Niigata, Gunma, Ibaraki, Kanagawa, Shizuoka, Fukui, Saga, Wakayama, Kagawa, and Oita Prefectures each had one location with confirmed damages.

Investigations up until now have found that surveillance cameras at temples in Nara, Chiba, and Kyoto Prefectures have caught footage of a suspicious person with characteristics similar to the suspect. Police in each area are looking into violations of the Law for Protection of Cultural Properties and property damage.

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