Heavy snow forecast along Sea of Japan coast

Dec 17, 2021 | News On Japan

Dec 17, 2021 (NHK) - Weather officials are warning of possible heavy snow in wide areas from northern to western Japan from Friday night through Saturday.

The Japan Meteorological Agency says the season's coldest air mass is flowing in and expected to bring heavy snow along the Sea of Japan coast from the northern prefecture of Hokkaido to the Chugoku region in western Japan.

Maximum snowfall over the 24-hour period through noon on Saturday is expected to be 70 centimeters in Niigata Prefecture and the Kanto Koshin region, 60 centimeters in the Hokuriku region, and 50 centimeters in Hokkaido Prefecture and the regions of Tohoku, Tokai and Chugoku.

Snowfall is expected to continue through Sunday mainly in areas along the Sea of Japan coast from northern to western Japan.

In the 24 hours through noon on Sunday, 30 to 50 centimeters of snow is expected in the Hokuriku region, and 20 to 40 centimeters in the prefectures of Hokkaido and Niigata and the regions of Tohoku, Kanto Koshin and Tokai.

Weather officials say strong winds are likely to continue on Saturday, and high waves and rough seas are expected from Friday through Saturday.

They're urging people to be alert for high waves, strong winds and traffic disruptions caused by heavy snow and icy roads.

Typhoons No. 28 and 29 Bring High Waves to Japan's Pacific Coast

Two typhoons moving across the Pacific southeast of Japan are expected to remain well away from the Japanese mainland, but powerful swells could bring rough seas to a wide stretch of the country's Pacific coastline throughout the three-day holiday weekend, according to forecasts updated at 3 a.m. on October 10.

Cyberattacks Spread Across Japan

A series of cyberattacks has disrupted business operations and exposed millions of customer records across Japan, with a ransomware attack on a cloud service provider affecting 495 companies and local governments nationwide, while convenience store operator Lawson has disclosed a separate breach involving more than 2.15 million personal information records.

Japan's First 360-Degree Projection Mapping Opens in Osaka

Japan's first 360-degree projection mapping show will open at the Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts on October 10, transforming the historic building into an immersive world of light, music, and seasonal imagery, with organizers hoping the attraction will also help stimulate the city's nighttime economy.

Tokyo University Professor Wins Nobel Prize in Chemistry

Tokyo University of Science professor emeritus Kenzo Soai has been awarded this year's Nobel Prize in Chemistry together with French chemist Henri B. Kagan for discoveries that transformed scientists' understanding of how chemical reactions can favor one of two mirror-image forms of a molecule.

US Military Halts All Okinawa Operations for 48 Hours

The US military suspended activities by all forces stationed in Okinawa for 48 hours from noon on October 7, an unusual measure following the arrest of a US Marine in connection with a robbery and murder case that has renewed scrutiny of crimes involving American service members.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Society NEWS

Most Sightings of Fugitive Yoichi Hatta Reported in Kanto

Police in Oita Prefecture have revealed that the Kanto region accounts for the largest number of reported sightings of Yoichi Hatta, a fugitive wanted in connection with a fatal hit-and-run incident in Beppu in 2022, with authorities preparing to distribute new wanted posters nationwide from November as the search enters its fifth year.