Heavy snow forecast for wide areas of eastern Japan

Feb 10, 2022 | News On Japan

Feb 10, 2022 (NHK) - Heavy snow is forecast for wide areas of eastern Japan, including downtown Tokyo, with officials warning of possible traffic disruptions on Thursday evening.

The Japan Meteorological Agency says a low-pressure system is expanding as it moves eastward along the Pacific coast of central Japan. A cold air mass flowing in over the region has already brought snow to mountainous areas.

As of 9:00 a.m. on Thursday, there was 7 centimeters of snow in Fujikawaguchiko, Yamanashi Prefecture, 6 centimeters in Karuizawa, Nagano Prefecture, and 5 centimeters in Chichibu, Saitama Prefecture.

Rain and sleet is turning to snow in Tokorozawa in Saitama, and Hachioji and Setagaya in Tokyo.

In the 24-hour period through Friday morning, a maximum of 30 centimeters of snow is forecast for Yamanashi Prefecture, and 25 centimeters for the northern Kanto region and Nagano Prefecture. A total of 20 centimeters is expected to fall in Shizuoka Prefecture and some parts of the southern Kanto region, including Hakone through Tama, and Chichibu.

Up to 8 centimeters of snow is forecast for the plains of southern Kanto and 5 centimeters for Tokyo's 23 wards.

The Kanto region does not usually have much snow, so even a small amount could disrupt public transport and cause accidents.

Weather officials are urging caution for heavy snow and icy roads, and are calling on people to stay updated with the latest information. They are also warning of blackouts caused by snow accumulating on power lines.

Source: ANNnewsCH

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.