Jul 11 (Stuff) - A Canadian teenager has been questioned by police after he reportedly carved a name into the wooden pillar of an historic Japanese temple.
The 17-year-old allegedly used his fingernail to carve 'Julian' into the 8th-century Toshodaiji Kondo temple complex in Nara.
He was spotted by another tourist who reported him to temple staff.
A monk at the temple told Japanese newspaper The Mainichi that even though it had been done "without malice”, that it was “still regrettable and sad”.
世界遺産・唐招提寺で「外国人が柱に爪で落書き」 カナダ国籍の17歳少年、文化財保護法違反の疑いで任意聴取 奈良市https://t.co/ME4VpbnCKn
— MSN Japan (@MSNJapan) July 7, 2023
It's reported he is with his parents, who were with him at the time of the alleged vandalisation.
The BBC reports that under Japanese law, any person who has damaged an object of "important cultural property" could face up to five years in prison. There is also a possible fine of Y300,000.
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