Angry at Yasukuni Shrine ‘toilet’ graffiti, Japan man posts US$64,000 bounty for vandal’s arrest

A Tokyo-based cosmetic surgeon has offered a 10-million-yen reward for information leading to the arrest of the vandal, who is believed to be Chinese

The incident has again shone a spotlight on the contentious history of the shrine that honours Japan’s war dead – including convicted war criminals

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Japan hunts for man seen on Chinese social media spray-painting ‘toilet’ on Yasukuni Shrine

Julian Ryall

Published: 8:00am, 5 Jun 2024Updated: 1:17pm, 5 Jun 2024

Outrage has swept across Japan after footage emerged on social media appearing to show a Chinese man urinating and spray-painting the word “toilet” on a pillar at Tokyo’s controversial Yasukuni Shrine.

The incident has once again shone a spotlight on the shrine’s contentious history, highlighting its role in stoking grievances against Japan among neighbouring countries.

A Tokyo businessman was so incensed by what’s been described as the desecration of the shrine honouring the nation’s war dead that he has put up a reward of 10 million yen (US$63,960) for anyone who can help bring the suspect to justice.

In a post on social media platform X on Saturday, cosmetic surgeon Dr Katsuya Takasu, the founder of Takasu Clinic, offered a reward of 5 million yen – but doubled that figure the following day and said he would be happy to send the money abroad if the suspect is detained in another country.

A still from a video that circulated on Chinese social media shows an unidentified man next to the word “toilet” in red graffiti on a stone pillar at Tokyo’s Yasukuni Shrine. Photo: X/Ek_aike

Takasu’s posts on X have attracted more than 14 million views, the vast majority supporting his campaign to locate and detain the suspect, whose name and personal details have been published in online forums.