A popular Japanese zoo has been forced to postpone its summer opening after an employee admitted to police that he disposed of his wife's body in the zoo's incinerator, local media report.
Asahiyama Zoo, located in the northern city of Asahikawa, was scheduled to reopen on Wednesday following a three-week maintenance closure, just in time for Japan's Golden Week holiday. However, city officials announced the zoo will remain closed until at least Friday as investigations continue.
Last week, police searched the zoo grounds after the employee confessed to using the facility's incinerator, which is normally used to dispose of animal carcasses, to get rid of his wife's remains. Authorities had been searching for the woman after a friend reported her missing.
Asahiyama Zoo, opened in 1967, is one of Japan's most famous zoos, known for innovative enclosures with glass domes and overhead cages that allow visitors to see animals up close. It attracts over one million visitors annually.
Asahikawa Mayor Hirosuke Imazu described the situation as an "unprecedented crisis," adding, "No one could have predicted it. I am overcome with immense anxiety, and I am facing a crisis of unprecedented magnitude."
Apologizing for the disruption, officials warned the zoo may close again without notice if further investigation requires it. "We are making preparations to welcome you, so we hope that as many people as possible will come to the park," Imazu added.