U.S.-based doctor sentenced in historic building vandalism case
Masahide Kanayama is a Japanese national who lived in the United States until being extradited to Japan earlier this year.
The Chiba District Court sentenced a 63-year-old Japanese doctor, Masahide Kanayama, to 18 months in prison, suspended for three years, for damaging two historic buildings in 2015. Kanayama, a U.S. resident, was extradited to Japan and pleaded guilty to splashing oil on the Katori Jingu shrine and Naritasan Shinshoji Temple in March 2015.
Judge Yoko Sugiyama emphasized the historical and cultural significance of the buildings and the difficulty in repairing the damage. Kanayama claimed his actions were a religious blessing and expressed willingness to compensate. The judge condemned Kanayama for prioritizing his religious beliefs over the law and his willingness to avoid repeating the act.
Written by urgent.news from Japan Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
