A 39-year-old Taiwanese tv host has been arrested at Japan’s Kansai Worldwide Airport over allegations that she splashed liquid on a nationwide treasure at a historic temple in Nara earlier this yr, as per Tokyo Reporter. The lady, recognized by Japanese media as Tsai Yi-zhen, is suspected of pouring glycerin onto the Buddha’s Footprint Stone, or Bussokuseki, on the World Heritage-listed Yakushiji Temple on April 6.
Temple employees reportedly found traces of a liquid on the stone and alerted police. Investigators later discovered that the substance was glycerin, a colourless liquid generally utilized in cosmetics and skincare merchandise.
Police reportedly recognized Tsai by means of surveillance footage from the temple. She had left Japan after the alleged incident however was arrested when she returned to the nation on August 22. She is suspected of violating Japan’s Act on Safety of Cultural Properties.
Based on Japanese media reports, Tsai admitted to the allegation and instructed investigators that she typically pours oil on objects that transfer her emotionally as a type of prayer. “I carry out rituals by pouring oil on issues that deeply transfer me, so I imagine I poured oil on the Bussokuseki,” Tsai instructed investigators.
The case drew extra consideration in Taiwan after native media famous that Tsai Yi-zhen can be the actual identify of Taiwanese actress Wu Xiong. Wu had shared pictures from Japan on Instagram in April, together with posts from Nara.
In an announcement issued on August 24, her supervisor mentioned the case remained underneath investigation by Japanese authorities and that Wu’s household and a lawyer in Japan had been working to grasp the circumstances.
The supervisor mentioned the accessible data was nonetheless restricted and declined to touch upon the precise allegations or media reviews on Wu’s behalf. The assertion additionally requested the general public to permit authorities time to research and keep away from drawing conclusions primarily based on unverified data.
The supervisor additionally apologised for the “public concern and inconvenience brought on by this incident”, including that additional updates could be issued as soon as the state of affairs turned clearer.
The Buddha’s Footprint Stone is taken into account an essential spiritual and cultural relic. Relationship again to 753 AD, it’s described because the oldest surviving historic Buddha footprint stone in Japan and is designated a nationwide treasure. Yakushiji Temple is a part of the UNESCO-listed Historic Monuments of Historic Nara.
