A Canadian teenager was detained for defacing an iconic 8th-century Japan temple.
Toshodaiji Temple in Nara is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
The 17-year-old was accused of carving letters into a wooden pillar, police said.
He was questioned over carving his name on the pillar of the temple’s Golden Hall, which is designated a national treasure.
A local tourist visiting at the time witnessed it and raised the alarm with temple employees.
The damage was relatively minor and criminal charges are unlikely.
“We are worried that the same thing could happen again. Even though it may have been done without malice, it is still regrettable and sad,” a temple monk said.
A British tourist hit the headlines recently for defacing the Colosseum in Rome.
He issued a public apology for his ‘vandalism.’
