Overview
- Nara Prefectural Police arrested a Taiwan‑born woman on August 22 after identifying her from surveillance footage of the April 6 incident at Yakushiji’s great lecture hall.
- Officers charged the suspect under the Cultural Properties Protection Law for allegedly pouring a liquid on the national treasure known as the Bussokuseki.
- The suspect told police she applies oil to things that move her as a form of prayer and acknowledged pouring oil on the stone.
- Forensic tests of the April sample found glycerin components and investigators are comparing that sample with a prayer liquid taken from the suspect at arrest.
- The Bussokuseki dates to 753 and is a protected national treasure, and the case could prompt tighter site protections and stricter enforcement of preservation rules for visitors.