Two American tourists have been arrested in Japan after a reckless social media stunt saw one of them infiltrate a restricted zoo habitat while dressed in a novelty costume. The incident occurred on Sunday, 17 May, at the Ichikawa City Zoo in Chiba Prefecture, outside Tokyo.
The tourist targeted the enclosure of a nine-month-old baby macaque named Punch, who became a global internet sensation earlier this year. Police officials confirmed that they breached security barriers to film content for digital platforms, triggering widespread condemnation from locals and animal welfare advocates alike.
US Tourist Breaks Into Punch's Enclosure
Footage circulating rapidly across social media platforms captured the moment the security breach took place at the zoo's popular 'monkey mountain' exhibit. In the video, a man identified as one of the tourists scales the high perimeter safety fence and drops directly into the dry moat surrounding the primate habitat.
ALERT: American tourists arrested in Japan for climbing into a monkey enclosure in Japan, where viral baby monkey ‘Punch’ lives.
— E X X ➠A L E R T S (@ExxAlerts) May 18, 2026
Ichikawa City Zoo, outside Tokyo, has attracted many domestic and international visitors since a picture of a baby monkey named Punch was posted… pic.twitter.com/14nUPEVZ1C
Dressed in a bizarre costume featuring a large, yellow smiley-face emoji head adorned with sunglasses, the intruder advanced toward the animals and dropped a small stuffed toy into the exhibit.
Two Americans were arrested over the suspected intrusion into a Ichikawa zoo enclosure that is home to #Punch/ #Panchi a world famous baby macaque.
— MIBAWI (@RealMiBaWi) May 18, 2026
The suspects were identified as Reid Jahnai Dayson (24) and Neal Jabahri Duan (27). pic.twitter.com/f3SpooaOgm
The unexpected intrusion caused immediate panic amongst the resident macaques, causing the troop to scatter frantically across the rock formations. Zoo staff intervened immediately, apprehending the individual before he could make direct physical contact with the animals.
昨日、鹿野さんは勇気を出して侵入者を連れ出しました。その時パンチはひどく怯えて、部屋の中からそっと顔を出して外の様子をうかがっていました。#がんばれパンチ #市川市動植物園 #今日のパンチ #パンチくんの大冒険 #Punch pic.twitter.com/wB5iKNQInA
— Punch (@XPnftclub) May 18, 2026
Two Tourists Arrested For Zoo Stunt
The Ichikawa Police Department moved quickly to detain the individuals involved, booking them on formal charges of forcible obstruction of business. As reported by CBS News via its Japanese partner network TBS News, the suspects have been identified as 24-year-old Reid Jahnai Dayson and 27-year-old Neal Jabahri Duan.
Local authorities stated that Dayson was the individual who physically climbed and broke into the enclosure, while Duan stood at the viewing barrier to film the entire stunt.
As reported by People, according to an official statement provided to AFP, the duo did not possess formal identification at the scene and initially attempted to provide false names to responding officers. While both men currently refute the legal charges against them, they remain in police custody pending further investigation.
Who Are Jahnai Dayson And Neal Jabahri Duan?
Prior to their sudden legal troubles in Chiba Prefecture, Dayson and Duan were visiting the country as international tourists, seemingly seeking to capitalise on the immense digital footprint of the zoo's most famous resident. Multiple reports identified Dayson as a university student while Duan was a singer.
Reid Jahnai Dayson (right) and Neal Jabahri Duan (left) were arrested. pic.twitter.com/Kb8UzCaNYv
— Nux (@mherlihy0816) May 18, 2026
The target of their stunt, a baby Japanese macaque named Punch, amassed a massive global fanbase under the viral hashtag #HangInTherePunch after the zoo documented his heartbreaking upbringing.
Abandoned by his mother shortly after his birth in July 2025, Punch won the hearts of millions when photographs emerged of the lonely infant clinging tightly to an IKEA plush orangutan for emotional comfort.
The unprecedented influx of international visitors tracking the young animal's rehabilitation has mirrored a broader trend in Japan, which has seen a record surge in post-pandemic tourism. However, the incident has renewed intense local frustration regarding the disruptive and unruly behaviour of foreign content creators attempting to garner internet notoriety.
Update Following The Intrusion
Following the security breach, managers at the Ichikawa City Zoo issued a public update on X, confirming that comprehensive safety assessments had yielded no structural damage or physical abnormalities among the primates.
To prevent future disruptions, the facility has restricted public access areas, initiated permanent security patrols, and commenced the installation of heavy intrusion-prevention nets around the perimeter. Zoo officials are also reportedly discussing a blanket ban on video recording at the site to deter similar stunts.
