Doctor and Cult Leader Who Vandalized Shrines Declared Shrines Were a Nest of Evil Spirits Before Arrest

Shrines are nests of evil spirits

“I poured oil over them and purified them in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.”

The man had made these statements at gatherings of a religious group he founded.

On March 5, a large number of media personnel—including television, newspapers, and magazines—gathered in front of the Narita Police Station of the Chiba Prefectural Police. Shortly after 8:20 a.m., the man appeared at the transfer entrance, standing upright with a straight posture and walking with firm steps. Without looking at the press, including this magazine’s photographer, he boarded the transport vehicle.

“The man arrested on March 4 is Masahide Kanayama (63), an unemployed resident of the United States. The direct charge relates to an incident in March 2015, 11 years ago, at Katori Shrine in Chiba Prefecture, where he allegedly splashed an oil-like substance on more than a dozen locations, including the ‘Sakuramon’ gate, which is designated as an Important Tangible Cultural Property of Japan, constituting property damage.

At that time, similar incidents occurred at 48 locations across 16 prefectures, including Naritasan Shinshoji Temple (Narita City, Chiba), Nijo Castle (Kyoto City), and Todaiji Temple (Nara City). Police had been investigating the possibility that the same individual was responsible.

Later, the Chiba Prefectural Police identified Kanayama as the suspect in the Katori Shrine case based on security camera footage and obtained an arrest warrant. However, as he had traveled to the United States after the incident, authorities requested his extradition. During that time, Kanayama continued to work as a physician in the U.S. and lived a normal life, but he was finally handed over to Japanese authorities under the Japan–U.S. extradition treaty,” said a reporter from a national newspaper’s social affairs department.

After moving to the United States, Kanayama operated a clinic specializing in endometriosis in New York and reportedly had a strong reputation locally as a doctor. At the same time, in May 2013, he established a Christian-affiliated group called “IMM (International Marketplace Ministry).” At past gatherings for followers, he stated:

“This is not a pure place. Shrines are nests of evil spirits,”

and went on to admit, as mentioned earlier, that he had poured oil. Video recordings of these statements also remain.

Before being transferred to Japan, when asked by a Japanese reporter at JFK International Airport in the U.S., “Do you have anything to say to the media?” Kanayama replied, “It’s okay.”

Tahei Ogawa, a former Kanagawa Prefectural Police detective and crime journalist, commented:

“After committing the act, Kanayama moved to the United States. Although there is an extradition treaty between the U.S. and Japan, the crime was not a serious offense like murder or sexual assault, and it may not have fully met the requirement of dual criminality (editor’s note: the condition that the act must be a crime in both countries). Therefore, the U.S. was not proactive about extradition. The suspect likely understood this well and had also hired a capable lawyer. He contested the extradition in federal court, which is why it took so long.”

What will happen next in the trial process?

“He may have additional offenses of property damage, but it is unlikely to result in a particularly severe punishment. The question now is whether the shrines will pursue civil damages. The victims include well-known national cultural properties, and the number of affected sites could reach dozens. To prevent copycat crimes, it would be better to firmly seek compensation.”

Kanayama has reportedly admitted to the charges, stating “I have no objections,” but it remains to be seen what decisions will be made by the shrines and temples that were affected. The developments will be closely watched.