Japan police probe cause of huge blast

TOKYO - Japanese police were on Monday investigating the cause of a powerful blast that ripped through a restaurant in the country's northernmost Hokkaido prefecture, injuring 42 people and damaging surrounding buildings.

The explosion in the city of Sapporo on Sunday night started fires and caused the partial collapse of some neighboring buildings, forcing dozens of residents into shelters, officials said.

The cause of the blast was still under investigation, police said, but there were reports that it may have been a gas leak.