Taiwanese woman arrested over staining Japan temple stone, manager apologizes
NARA, Japan (Kyodo) -- A Taiwanese woman in the entertainment industry has been arrested by Japanese police for alleged vandalization of a treasured s
A Taiwanese woman, Tsai Yi-chen, 39, has been arrested by Japanese police for allegedly vandalizing a sacred stone at a temple in western Japan in April. According to local police, Tsai allegedly poured a liquid on a stone engraved with Shakyamuni Buddha's footprint at Yakushiji Temple in Nara on April 6. The police detected glycerin, a sweetener and cosmetic ingredient, in the liquid used.
Tsai, who was visiting the temple as a tourist, told the police that she poured oil on the Buddha's footprint stone because it moved her when praying. Security camera footage helped identify Tsai, and she was arrested at Kansai International Airport in Osaka Prefecture upon her return to Japan. The stone monument is considered a national treasure.
Tsai's manager issued an apology on Facebook, expressing regret for the public concern and inconvenience caused by the incident. The matter is currently under investigation by Japanese authorities, and the manager stated that they are unable to contact Tsai directly at this stage. They committed to providing further information once the situation has been clarified, should it not affect the ongoing proceedings.
Written by urgent.news from The Mainichi's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
