Taiwanese actress reportedly arrested in Japan for pouring oil on national treasure, manager issues apology

Taiwanese actress reportedly linked to arrest over oil poured on national treasure in Japan

Taiwanese actress Wu Xiong has been linked by Taiwanese media to the arrest of a woman accused of pouring an oily liquid onto a historic Buddhist artefact at Yakushiji Temple in Nara, Japan.

According to Japanese media, police arrested a Taiwanese woman named Tsai Yi-zhen on Saturday (22 Aug) on suspicion of violating Japan’s Protection of Cultural Properties Act.

The arrest stems from an alleged incident in April, when the woman is suspected of pouring liquid onto the temple’s national treasure, the Buddha footprint stone, or Bussokuseki.

Police later detected glycerin, a colourless substance commonly used in cosmetics and skincare products, in the liquid.

Attention soon turned to Wu Xiong after Taiwanese media noted that Tsai Yi-zhen is also the actress’s real name.

Wu Xiong had also shared photos of herself in Japan on Instagram in April, including posts geotagged in Nara.

Woman allegedly poured oil on national treasure as form of prayer

Surveillance footage from Yakushiji Temple helped police identify Tsai as a suspect.

She had left Japan following the alleged incident but was arrested at Kansai International Airport when she re-entered the country on 22 Aug.

The woman reportedly admitted to the allegation, explaining that she pours oil on things that move her emotionally as a form of prayer, and believed she had done the same to the Buddha footprint stone.

Dating back to 753 AD, the relic at UNESCO World Heritage-listed Yakushiji Temple is the oldest surviving ancient Buddha footprint stone in Japan and is designated a national treasure.

Wu Xiong’s manager issues apology

Wu Xiong’s manager issued a statement on Monday (24 Aug), saying the case was still being investigated by Japanese authorities.

“At this stage, we are still unable to make direct contact with her,” the statement read.

It added that Wu Xiong’s family and a lawyer in Japan were helping to understand the situation, but that the information available remained limited.

“We are unable to speak or respond on her behalf regarding the details of the incident or the contents of media reports,” the manager said.

The statement also asked the public to “give the investigation the necessary time and space” to avoid further misunderstanding arising from unverified information.

The manager apologised for the “public concern and inconvenience caused by this incident”, adding that further updates would be issued once the situation became clearer.

Wu Xiong’s sister also responded to the reports, saying she had only learnt about the incident through the news.

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Featured image adapted from @bernice0222 on Instagram and YOMIURI TELECASTING CORPORATION NEWS CHANNEL on YouTube.