JAKARTA - Two US citizens were each fined 300,000 yen (about Rp34 million) on Friday (5/6) for trespassing on the cage area of Punch, a Japanese monkey that went viral after being seen hugging a stuffed orangutan at a zoo near Tokyo.
According to the Chiba District Public Prosecutor's Office, the two men were charged through a summary procedure for obstructing the operation of the zoo.
The procedure allows prosecutors to demand fines through a court order without going through a formal trial.
Both US citizens have paid the fine imposed, the prosecutor's office said.
Punch, a Japanese macaque monkey born in July last year, was left by his mother after being born.
The zoo's management gave a stuffed orangutan to Punch, who then attracted public attention after photos and videos of his development were uploaded on social media.
Punch's popularity on the internet has also increased the number of visitors to the zoo.
Chiba Prefecture police arrested the two men on May 17, the day of the incident.
According to the indictment, the two conspired to climb the fence and enter the monkey habitat area at the Ichikawa City Zoo, Chiba Prefecture.
Police said one of the men climbed the fence while wearing a character costume, while his partner recorded the action using a mobile phone from outside the cage area.
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