One of Japan’s most beloved tourist attractions, Asahiyama Zoo, has been forced to postpone its highly anticipated summer season reopening after a shocking local scandal emerged. A serving employee at the northern Japanese facility has confessed to Japanese law enforcement that he disposed of his wife’s remains in the zoo’s on-site incinerator, local media outlets have confirmed.
Originally, the zoo — located in Asahikawa, Hokkaido — was scheduled to welcome back visitors this Wednesday, just in time for Japan’s annual Golden Week holiday, one of the busiest travel periods of the year. The facility had already closed its doors on April 8 for a routine three-week seasonal maintenance break, with all preparations on track for the summer opening. However, the ongoing criminal investigation has pushed the reopening to at least Friday, and city officials have not ruled out further unannounced closures if investigators require extended access to the grounds.
The sequence of events began when a friend of the missing woman filed a missing person report with local police. After launching an inquiry, authorities were stunned when the zoo employee confessed to his alleged crime, telling investigators he had used the zoo’s incinerator — which is normally used only to cremate deceased animal carcasses from the facility — to dispose of his wife’s body. Last week, investigative teams carried out a full search of the zoo grounds to collect evidence, according to local reporting.
First opened to the public in 1967, Asahiyama Zoo has grown into one of Japan’s most popular zoological attractions, drawing more than one million annual visitors. It has earned widespread acclaim for its innovative enclosure design, including glass domes and overhead viewing cages that give guests the chance to observe animals in close, immersive settings that are rare at other Japanese zoos.
Addressing reporters at a press conference held on Tuesday, Asahikawa Mayor Hirosuke Imazu described the situation as an unparalleled crisis for the city and its flagship attraction. “No one could have predicted this,” Imazu told the gathered media. “I am overcome with immense anxiety, and I am facing a crisis of unprecedented magnitude.”
City authorities have issued a formal apology for the last-minute disruption to visitor travel plans, noting that the ongoing investigation requires the facility to remain closed. Officials also added that they are continuing preparations to welcome guests as soon as the investigation allows, and they hope tourists will still choose to visit the zoo once it reopens. “We are making preparations to welcome you, so we hope that as many people as possible will come to the park,” Imazu added.