Asahiyama Zoo Employee Alleges Incinerating Wife's Body, Delays May Opening

Asahiyama Zoo, a popular attraction in Asahikawa, Japan, has delayed its scheduled summer season opening after an employee informed police he had disposed of his wife's body within the zoo's incinerator.

The facility, which typically reopens on 1 May for Japan's Golden Week holiday period following a three-week maintenance closure, will now remain shut until at least 3 May as investigations continue. Authorities conducted a search of the zoo grounds last week after the employee's confession.

The incinerator in question was used for the disposal of animal carcasses. Local reports indicate that police have been searching for the employee's wife since her disappearance was reported by a friend.

Asahikawa Mayor Hirosuke Imazu stated on Tuesday that the city faces an "unprecedented crisis" due to the incident. The zoo, known for its innovative animal enclosures, attracts over one million visitors annually.