An emergency call received at around noon reported that there had been a crash between the two vehicles on a national road in the town of Yakumo, Hokkaido, police said, adding that at least five other people have been injured.

The intercity highway bus was carrying 15 passengers and the driver from Sapporo, the capital of Hokkaido, to a hot spring resort in the city of Hakodate, according to its operator.

(With UNI inputs)