Around 30 people injured as tour bus crashes in N. Japan

TOKYO, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Around 30 people were injured when a tour bus plunged off the road in the town of Shimizu in Hokkaido, Japan's northernmost prefecture, NHK reported.

According to rescue officials, the accident happened at around 4:00 p.m. local time (0700 GMT) and police and rescue officials were investigating the cause of the crash.

The bus was believed to have been carrying around 40 people at the time of the accident, the fire department said.