Nonagenarian in Japan arrested for alleged graffiti

Japanese police arrested a man in his 90s Thursday for allegedly graffitiing a sign at a prosecutor's office in the city of Osaka, a local officer told AFP.

A security guard at the government building in the western city made an emergency call saying "graffiti had been scrawled on a sign with red lacquer paint", according to the senior Osaka police officer.

Following the emergency call at around 9:45 am (0045 GMT), officers rushed to the scene to "arrest the man, who had already been held by the security guard, on suspicion of property damage", he said.

The stone sign at the front of the building bearing the words "Public Prosecutor's Office" had been defaced, the officer added.

The elderly man -- who the officer said was in his 90s but declined to specify his exact age -- later admitted to investigators that he had "dirtied" the sign.

The nonagenarian did not appear to be politically motivated, according to the officer.