Wu Xiong suspected in Japanese national treasure vandalism case; deletes IG posts

A 39-year-old Taiwanese woman, Tsai Yi-chen, was apprehended at Kansai Airport on August 22, 2026, in connection with an act of vandalism at Yakushi-ji temple in Nara, Japan. The incident involved liquid being poured onto a national treasure, the "Buddha's Foot" stone.

Significant attention has been drawn to the suspect's identity, as her name, age, and self-proclaimed profession as a host closely align with those of Taiwanese actress and host Cai Yi-chen, whose stage name is Wu Xiong and whose birth name is also Cai Yi-chen.

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The suspect, Tsai Yi-chen, was arrested at Kansai Airport on August 22 when she entered Japan.

Following the news of the alleged desecration, netizens flooded Wu Xiong's social media accounts with criticism. It was subsequently discovered that she had quietly deleted posts from her account, though this action did not quell the public outcry. Many users have since directed their questions and accusations towards her other posts, seeking to understand her motives.

Wu Xiong's agent has not responded to inquiries from "Liberty Entertainment Channel" regarding the matter, and Wu Xiong herself has yet to issue any clarification or statement. If found guilty of violating Japan's Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties, the suspect could face up to five years in prison or a fine of up to 1 million yen. Japan consolidated its previous penalties of "imprisonment with work" and "imprisonment without work" into a single "detention" sentence, effective June 1, 2025.

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After the news of Tsai Yi-chen pouring liquid on the 'Buddha's Foot' stone was exposed, many netizens left comments criticizing her on her social media.