4 die, 26 injured in heavy snow in Japan
Heavy snow mainly pounding the Sea of Japan coast since Tuesday has left four people dead and 26 others injured, Jiji Press reported.
According to data compiled by the Fire and Disaster Management Agency as of Friday afternoon, one person died in each of the cities of Uonuma and Sado and two in the city of Nagaoka, all in the central prefecture of Niigata.
The injuries were reported in prefectures including Aomori in northeastern Japan and Kyoto in western Japan.
Many parts of Japan are blanketed in snow, and authorities say more is likely to fall through Sunday. Conditions are severe in some areas. People should stay up to date with travel information and prepare for possible blackouts.
— NHK WORLD News (@NHKWORLD_News) January 22, 2026
Visit https://t.co/d2xTBt5k1w for more. pic.twitter.com/zyBWm8hSwM
In winter, Tokyo on the Pacific side has many sunny days, but the Sea of Japan side experiences heavy snowfall. This is because the humid winds from the Sea of Japan collide with the mountain ranges and turn into snow. A heavy snow warning is in effect through this weekend. pic.twitter.com/yCcUIKg9bs
— Tokyonobo (@Tokyonobo) January 22, 2026
Of the total, 10 people were seriously injured, and 16 suffered minor injuries.
Of the four fatalities, the victim in Uonuma, a man in his 50s, died after apparently suffering acute illness while unloading snow from the roof of his house, according to the Niigata prefectural government.
A man in his 50s in Sado died while clearing snow. Of the two victims in Nagaoka, both men in their 70s, one died while ploughing snow and the other while resting during snow removal work.
Earlier, it was reported that more than 100 vehicle pile-up left US motorists stranded in snowstorm.
