Tokyo International News Agency

Ichikawa Police in Chiba Prefecture have arrested two men, both self-proclaimed US citizens, on suspicion of forcible obstruction of business after they unauthorizedly entered the Japanese macaque enclosure, known as "Monkey Mountain," at the Ichikawa City Zoological and Botanical Garden. The individuals arrested are a 24-year-old university student and a 27-year-old who identifies as a singer. According to the police investigation, the 24-year-old man allegedly entered the enclosure wearing a costume while the 27-year-old man filmed the act with a smartphone from outside the fence. These actions are believed to have obstructed the normal operations of the zoo. During questioning, one of the men denied the allegations, stating, "I don't want to answer, and I am not satisfied with this arrest." Police are conducting a thorough investigation into the specific circumstances and motives, suspecting that the act was committed for the purpose of posting a video to soc...

On the 17th, an incident occurred at the Ichikawa City Zoological and Botanical Garden in Chiba Prefecture, where a man wearing a costume intruded into the Japanese macaque enclosure (known as the Saru-yama). Garden staff apprehended the intruder along with another man who was filming the act; both were turned over to the police. The two individuals have identified themselves as American citizens. The incident took place at the monkey enclosure that houses the zoo's popular macaque, Punch-kun. According to reports and social media information, the costumed man climbed over the fence to enter the habitat while his companion recorded the scene. It is highly suspected that this was a performance intended for a video-sharing platform. Fortunately, no animals—including Punch-kun—nor any visitors were injured during the incident. The suspects, who claim to be a university student and a singer in their 20s, are currently being investigated on suspicion of forcible obstruction of business....