Fifty-eight cows were killed when a barn burned down in the town of Horonobe, Hokkaido, on Saturday morning, firefighters and local police said.
The barn was part of a dairy farm owned by Seisaku Yamamoto. His house was also burned to the ground. None of Yamamoto's family members were harmed, and 11 cows survived.
Police believe the fire, which started around 2 a.m., may have been caused by a kerosene heater in a milk storage room. Gloves and other clothing had been hanging nearby to dry.