Japan zoo staffer allegedly dumps wife's body inside incinerator

The zoo has had to delay its reopening after a maintenance break, as police investigate the staff member's claim. Japan zoo staffer allegedly dumps wife's body inside incinerator Copyright current_year BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. Copyright current_year BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. Asahiyama Zoo is one of the country's most popular zoos People crowding around a glass pipe with seals swimming inside A popular Japanese zoo has delayed its opening for the summer season after an employee told police he had disposed of his wife's body in the zoo's incinerator, local media reported. Asahiyama Zoo in the northern city of Asahikawa was supposed to welcome visitors on Wednesday in time for Japan's Golden Week holiday period, after completing a three-week maintenance break. But the city government says the zoo will now remain closed until Friday as investigations continue. Last week, police searched the zoo grounds after the employee told them he had disposed of his wife's body in the zoo's incinerator, local media reported. The incinerator was used to dispose of animal carcasses when they died. Opened in 1967, Asahiyama Zoo is one of the country's most popular zoos, known for its unusual enclosures - featuring glass domes and overhead cages - that allow visitors to observe animals up close. The zoo, which receives more than one million visitors every year, has been closed since 8 April for maintenance ahead of the summer season. According to local reports, authorities have been searching for the employee's wife since a friend reported her disappearance to the police. Apologising for the inconvenience, authorities also warned that the zoo may be closed without prior notice if the investigation calls for it. Hirosuke Imazu, the mayor of Asahikawa city, told a press conference on Tuesday that authorities were now grappling with what he described as an "unprecedented crisis". "No one could have predicted it," he said. "I am overcome with immense anxiety, and I am facing a crisis of unprecedented magnitude." "We are making preparations to welcome you, so we hope that as many people as possible will come to the park." A video from Odisha state of Jitu Munda taking the remains to the bank went viral this week, leading to anger. It confirms suspicions that North Korean soldiers are being told to detonate their grenades to kill themselves. Supply disruptions due to Middle East tensions have pushed up costs in India’s glass industry, putting workers at risk. These robots may in future help clean cabins and operate ground support equipment. Tokyo had warned that installing the structure in Auckland could jeopardise diplomatic relations. This clears the way for Japan to sell weapons to more than a dozen countries. Japan's meteorological agency warns another, stronger earthquake may hit in the next week. The term - kokushobi - translates to "cruelly hot", "brutally hot" or "severely hot", and comes after Japan's hottest summer on record.