Five people died in a collision between a bus and a truck on a national road in the town of Yakumo, Hokkaido, around noon on Sunday, according to local fire and other authorities.
Among the five were the drivers of both the bus and the truck as well as passengers on the bus.
The intercity highway bus was carrying 15 passengers and the driver from Sapporo to a hot spring resort in the city of Hakodate, according to its operator. All were taken to a hospital.