United Kingdom
United States
Asia Pacific
American arrested for damaging Tokyo shrine
Tokyo police arrested an American tourist accused of defacing one of the city’s holiest shrines.
Steve Lee Hayes, 65 was detained and has confessed to carving his family name into the wooden pillar of a torii gate at the Meiji Shrine, police said.
He allegedly used his fingernails to carve it.
Hayes is in Japan on holiday with his family according to the international crime police.
The act was caught on security cameras at the shrine.
It has been described as an ‘act of mischief.’
Police said they found similar but unrelated carvings in another one of the shrine’s torii gates, and are investigating that.
Related News Stories:
TravelMole Editorial Team
Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
Mark Jaronski of Explore Georgia on FIFA World Cup 2026
Connecting Small Businesses to Global Tourism Markets: Nate Huff of Tourism Exchange
North Carolina’s Resilience: Wit Tuttell on Recovery and Tourism
Kittipong Prapattong’s Plan for Thailand’s Tourism Growth: Taxes, Visas, and Campaigns
James Jin: Didatravel’s Journey from China to Global Reach and the Impact of AI on Travel
Darien Schaefer on Pensacola’s Evolution: From Small Town to Global Destination
Florida Tourism’s Next Frontier: Dana Young on Expanding Beyond the Classics
Patrick Harrison on Tampa Bay Tourism’s Resilience and Marketing Strategy
Bubba O’Keefe on Clarksdale’s Vibrant Music Scene
Commemorating Elvis and Embracing Tupelo’s Culture with Jennie Bradford Curlee
Craig Ray and the Expansion of the Blues Trail
Presenting Mississippi’s Cultural Trails with Katie Coats
Turkish Airlines flight in emergency landing after pilot dies
NCL cancels dozens of sailings on three ships
Unexpected wave rocks cruise ship
Woman dies after going overboard in English Channel
Airlines now required to issue automatic customer refunds