78-year-old man goes missing while gathering vegetables in mountains in Yamagata

YAMAGATA — Police and firefighters on Monday were searching for a 78-year-old man who went missing Sunday in Sakata City, Yamagata Prefecture, while gathering wild vegetables.

According to police, the man, who is a farmer, went into the forest alone at around 8:30 a.m. Sunday, but when he did not return home by the afternoon, his family called 110, NTV reported.

The man's light truck was found on a mountain road. Police conducted a search on Sunday afternoon but failed to find the man. On Monday morning, about 30 police officers and firefighters resumed the search at 6 a.m., but the man has not been found.

Although the man has a cell phone, there is no signal, police said.

The prefecture is in the middle of the wild vegetable picking season, and police are urging people to inform their families before going up into the mountains and to prepare food, spare batteries for their mobile phones, and other items in case of sudden changes in weather.

They have also issued advisories about increased bear activity.

© Japan Today