Police have been voluntarily questioning a male employee in his 30s from Asahikawa City who works at Asahiyama Zoo in Asahikawa, Hokkaido, on suspicion of disposing of his wife’s remains in the zoo’s incinerator.
According to investigative sources, the man, a municipal employee in his 30s assigned to Asahiyama Zoo, has told police that he disposed of his wife’s body, also in her 30s, in the zoo’s incinerator.
Police plan to continue voluntary questioning of the man and are investigating the zoo grounds.
Asahiyama Zoo is scheduled to begin its summer operations on April 29 and is currently closed to the public.
Asahiyama Zoo
Asahiyama Zoo, located in Asahikawa, Hokkaido, Japan, is one of the country’s most popular zoos, renowned for its innovative “action exhibits” that allow visitors to observe animals’ natural behaviors up close, such as penguins swimming through transparent tunnels and seals diving from elevated pools. Originally opened in 1967, the zoo faced near-closure in the 1990s due to declining visitors but was revitalized in the late 1990s and early 2000s through these unique habitat designs, which dramatically increased attendance and international recognition. Today, it remains a leading example of modern zoo design, focusing on animal welfare and education.
