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.
A US livestreamer known as Johnny Somali was arrested in 2023 for allegedly trespassing onto a construction site.
