Steven Lee Hayes, 65, is accused of carving his family's name into the gate of a famed Tokyo shrine, say police.

An American visiting Japan with his family has been arrested on suspicion of vandalism after allegedly desecrating Tokyo’s Meiji Jingu Shrine. According to Reuters, the 65-year-old (identified as Steve Lee Hayes) clawed five letters representing family names into a pillar of the Torii gates with his fingernails.

An American man is arrested on suspicion of vandalizing Tokyo's Meiji Shrine:: Tokyo, Japan:: November 14, 2024:: File:: Police say the 65-year-old used his fingernail to etch letters into a wooden pillar Japan welcomed nearly 27 million visitors through September,

An American tourist who arrived in Japan with his family on Monday might be staying in the country for a lot longer than he had intended. Police say 65-year-old Steve Lee Hayes vandalized a pillar at one of the country's most prominent Shinto shrines on his second day in the country,

Tokyo Metropolitan Police alleged that the 65-year-old man used his fingernails to carve five letters into the pillar of a torii gate at the popular tourist spot.