Supreme Court Won’t Halt Extradition of Japanese Man Accused of Vandalizing Religious Sites

Masahide Kanayama, a Christian missionary, allegedly put vegetable oil on two sacred buildings in Japan.

Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor poses during a group photo of the Justices at the Supreme Court in Washington, on April 23, 2021. Erin Schaff/Pool via Reuters

The U.S. Supreme Court on Dec. 12 declined to block a lower court order directing that a Japanese citizen with U.S. permanent resident status be extradited to Japan to face charges of vandalizing religious buildings.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor denied the emergency application in Kanayama v. Kowal without comment. Because she acted alone on the urgent matter, under Supreme Court rules, the unsuccessful applicant is allowed to present the application to another justice if he chooses.