A portion of a road in Kichijoji, a popular commercial area in the western Tokyo city of Musashino, suddenly collapsed early Tuesday with a garbage truck partly swallowed by the sinkhole, but no one was injured in the incident, authorities said.
The truck driver called police at around 5:50 a.m. after he felt the vehicle's rear tires sinking while running, according to the local police and city government. The hole measures about 10 meters in length and about 4 meters in width.
The driver found that the road, next to a construction site for a building and north of a major department store near JR Kichijoji Station, had caved in after getting out of the truck.
While the rear part of the vehicle fell into the hole, the front wheels remained on the road.
Kichijoji is a popular spot for tourists and also a regular feature on various lists of the best areas to live in the Tokyo metropolitan area.
"I was shocked to find a hollow space in the road," said 56-year-old Yukihisa Katsuta, who owns a "yakitori" skewered grilled chicken restaurant along the road.
"I only feel anxiety. I can't open my restaurant in this situation," he added.
