5 people killed in bus, truck collision in Japan

Hokkaido [Japan], June 19 : At least five people died in the collision between a bus and a truck on a national road in a town of Japan's Hokkaido, on Sunday, The Japan Times reported.
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, according to The Japan Times.
Following the crash at around 11:55 a.m. on a slow curve on Route 5 in Yakumo in southern Hokkaido, the male drivers of both vehicles were confirmed dead, along with three on board the bus. Twelve other passengers were taken to the hospital, The Mainichi reported.
The Mainichi Shimbun is one of the major newspapers in Japan.
The Sapporo-based company identified the bus driver as Takayuki Kozen, 64, with 15 years of bus driving experience. The company said he had never caused a major accident and had been off the previous two days.
The truck driver, 65, was experienced, said the truck owner, Nippon Clean Farm Ltd., adding the vehicle was carrying pigs from around Hakodate to a slaughterhouse in Yakumo, as per The Mainichi.