Overview
- Authorities put the toll at 46 fatalities and 558 injuries after prolonged snowfall across northern and Sea of Japan coastal prefectures.
- Niigata reports the largest number of deaths with 17, as communities struggle with deep accumulations and strained services.
- Local governments requested Japan Ground Self-Defense Force support for snow removal, with troops assisting vulnerable residents and efforts to prevent building collapses.
- Many incidents involve roof avalanches or clearing work, including a woman in her seventies in Fukui believed to have been buried by snow sliding off a roof.
- Snow depths reached about 1.3 meters in Aomori and travel disruptions extended from the Sea of Japan coast to milder areas like Ito, where a 400-bed shelter was opened for stranded motorists and tourists.