Sapporo, Japan - A man who made more than 1,100 phone calls to a temple here over a two-month period last year, demanding that he discuss religion with the priest, has been arrested, prosecutors said.
Hiroshi Taniguchi, 52, an employee of a pachinko prize exchange shop in Kurayoshi, Tottori Prefecture, is accused of obstruction of business. He denied the allegations during questioning.
"I acknowledge that I made the phone calls, but I never caused any trouble to the temple," Taniguchi was quoted as telling investigators.
Taniguchi called the temple in Sapporo's Chuo-ku, which is affiliated with the Nichiren Buddhist sect, on 1,123 occasions between June 1 and July 31 last year, and demanded that he talk with its priest to discuss religion, prosecutors said.
Taniguchi is a member of a religious organization that is in conflict with the sect, according to prosecutors.