[analyse_image type=”featured” src=”https://images.euronews.com/articles/stories/09/76/20/20/1200x675_cmsv2_c1491121-7135-5b47-a082-3c3eda512b4d-9762020.jpg”]

Watch: Bulgaria welcomes home Eurovision winner Dara with trophy

Around 10 ‘new’ victims in France’s Epstein probe, prosecutor says

Can the EU stop ‘nudification’ apps?

Obesity rates plateau in wealthy nations: study

Watch: Bulgaria welcomes home Eurovision winner Dara with trophy

Around 10 ‘new’ victims in France’s Epstein probe, prosecutor says

Can the EU stop ‘nudification’ apps?

Obesity rates plateau in wealthy nations: study
Japan arrests US nationals after one entered enclosure at viral baby monkey Punch’s zoo

Punch, a Japanese macaque, plays in the monkeys’ playground at the Ichikawa city zoo, 3 March, 2026
– Copyright AP Photo
The baby monkey became an internet star this year after the zoo posted photos of Punch clutching an IKEA plush orangutan for comfort after being rejected by his mother.
Two American citizens were arrested in Japan after a stunt in which one entered the monkey enclosure at a zoo where a baby macaque named Punch became a global internet sensation this year, police said on Monday.
One of the men, who identified himself as a 24-year-old college student, was arrested on Sunday after climbing over a fence and dropping into a dry moat surrounding the monkey exhibit at Ichikawa City Zoo outside Tokyo.
The other man, who was filming the act, identified himself as a 27-year-old singer.
Images on social media showed a person scaling the fence in a costume that included a smiley face head with sunglasses, prompting the monkeys to scatter.
The men did not come close to the animals and were quickly apprehended by zoo officials, said an official at Ichikawa Police who spoke with the AFP news agency on condition of anonymity.
The two men face charges of forcible obstruction of business, which they refute, the police official said.
The duo did not have formal identifications with them and initially tried to lie to police about their names, he added.
The arrests follow a massive surge in domestic and international visitors to the zoo, driven by Punch’s viral fame.
The baby monkey became an internet star this year after the zoo posted photos of Punch clutching an IKEA plush orangutan for comfort after being rejected by his mother.
Punch was raised in an artificial environment after being born in July and began training to rejoin his troop earlier this year.
Punch’s predicament sparked huge interest online, spawning a devoted fanbase under the hashtag #HangInTherePunch.
An unprecedented number of tourists are flocking to Japan, but some residents have become fed up with unruly behaviour.
Last year, a Ukrainian YouTuber with more than 6.5 million subscribers was arrested after livestreaming himself trespassing in a house in the Fukushima nuclear exclusion zone.
And a US livestreamer known as Johnny Somali was arrested in 2023 for allegedly trespassing onto a construction site.
Go to accessibility shortcuts
Read more
Fans flock to Japan zoo to see viral baby monkey Punch
How an abandoned, plush-loving macaque became the most beloved monkey on the internet
Japan arrests US nationals after one entered enclosure at viral baby monkey Punch’s zoo

‘Time is of the essence,’ Trump says in latest warning to Iran

High noon for EU-US trade deal in Strasbourg

Spanish PM Sánchez’s party suffers historic loss in key Andalusia vote

Oil prices climb as Donald Trump delivers stark message to Iran

Watch: Brussels & European capitals—how New Delhi is leveraging a two-tier strategy in Europe
Bulgaria wins Eurovision 2026 as public push Israel into second place
Why experts predict a looming surge in solar panel prices
One of Ukraine’s largest drone attacks kills 3, Russia says
Watch: Tears and confetti as Bulgaria’s Dara lifts Eurovision trophy
China unveils a giant rideable robot straight out of sci-fi movie
[analyse_source url=”https://www.euronews.com/2026/05/18/japan-arrests-us-nationals-after-one-entered-enclosure-at-viral-baby-monkey-punchs-zoo”]

