'Crayon Shin-chan' artist missing on mountain trip

The Yomiuri Shimbun

SAITAMA--The cartoonist known for the hit series "Crayon Shin-chan" has been missing since last Friday, the Saitama prefectural police said Wednesday.

According to his family, Yoshito Usui left home alone Friday, saying he was going to spend the day climbing a mountain in Gunma Prefecture. His family contacted police when Usui did not come home that evening, police said.

Usui's family said calls to his mobile phone were received, but no one answered. Police suspect he was involved in an accident or other incident, and are now searching mountains around the Gunma-Nagano prefectural border.

Usui reportedly liked to go mountaineering alone.