Doha: A bus driver was killed and 21 passengers were injured after the bus veered off the road and crashed into a forest area in Mie Prefecture, central Japan. There were 23 passengers on board, 22 of whom were taken to hospitals, while the 57-year-old driver was confirmed dead, local police reported.

According to Qatar News Agency, the substitute driver was asleep at the time of the accident, which caused the bus to slam into the forest area, causing severe damage to the front of the vehicle, the police added. The country has witnessed previous fatal accidents involving long-distance buses, prompting the Japanese government to tighten safety regulations.

Authorities are conducting a comprehensive investigation to determine the circumstances of the accident and whether negligence or a technical malfunction led to it.