Americans Arrested in Japan for Entering Punch the Monkey’s Zoo Home to Promote Meme Coin
Two American men were arrested in Japan after one entered a macaque monkey enclosure at Ichikawa Zoo, Tokyo, wearing a costume to promote the Solana-based meme coin Just a Memecoin (MEMECOIN), while the other allegedly filmed the act. Both denied the charges. The incident, which was widely shared online, prompted the zoo to file a police report and plan increased security measures, including intrusion prevention nets and more patrols. No animals were harmed. Just a Memecoin’s official account discouraged illegal acts and pledged a donation of about $6,300 to the zoo. The stunt caused MEMECOIN’s value to surge roughly 35% over seven days, reaching a market cap of nearly $11.9 million. A separate meme coin based on the monkey Punch previously peaked at a $43 million market cap but has since declined to around $2.35 million. The zoo is considering a filming ban after the incident.
