A popular Japanese zoo has delayed its summer season opening after an employee reportedly told police he had disposed of his wife’s body in the zoo’s incinerator, local media reported.
Asahiyama Zoo, located in the northern city of Asahikawa, was scheduled to welcome visitors on Wednesday for Japan’s Golden Week holiday period, following a three-week maintenance break. However, the city government announced the zoo would now remain closed until Friday as investigations proceed.
Police had previously searched the zoo grounds last week after the employee’s confession regarding the disposal of his wife’s body in the facility’s incinerator. The incinerator is typically used for the disposal of animal carcasses.
Opened in 1967, Asahiyama Zoo is one of the country’s most popular zoos, renowned for its unique enclosures—featuring glass domes and overhead cages—that allow visitors to observe animals up close. The zoo, which attracts over a million visitors annually, has been closed since April 8 for pre-summer maintenance.
According to local reports, authorities began searching for the employee’s wife after a friend reported her disappearance to the police.
Apologizing for the disruption, authorities cautioned that further closures might occur without prior notice, depending on the investigation’s needs.
Hirosuke Imazu, the Mayor of Asahikawa city, described the situation as an “unprecedented crisis” during a press conference on Tuesday. “No one could have predicted it,” he stated, expressing “immense anxiety” over a “crisis of unprecedented magnitude.” He added, “We are making preparations to welcome you, so we hope that as many people as possible will come to the park.”
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