Tokyo, Jan 10 (NationPress) Severe snowfall impacted the coastal regions along the Sea of Japan in northern, central, and western Japan on Friday, leading to interruptions in bullet train services and the closure of certain sections of expressways and national highways.
In the morning, the snowfall led to a temporary halt of Yamagata Shinkansen bullet train operations between Fukushima Station in the northeastern prefecture of Fukushima and Shinjo Station in another northeastern prefecture of Yamagata, affecting 12 inbound and outbound trains and approximately 1,600 passengers, as reported by East Japan Railway.
Additionally, services on the Tokaido Shinkansen Line were running at reduced speeds between Nagoya and Shin-Osaka stations, with delays also reported on the Sanyo Shinkansen Line, according to the train operators.
Meanwhile, part of the Hokuriku Expressway was shut down from the early hours of Friday until around noon due to an accident, leaving around 100 vehicles stranded, as per Xinhua news agency.
A section where the Tomei and Meishin expressways converge between Aichi and Shiga prefectures was also briefly closed.
The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) advised residents in the impacted areas to remain cautious, as snowfall is expected to persist in the mountainous regions facing the Sea of Japan until Saturday morning.
The JMA predicted that the northeastern, central, and western regions could receive up to 60 centimeters of snow within the 24 hours leading up to 6 a.m. local time on Saturday.
Earlier this week, the JMA disclosed that the nation’s average temperature in 2024 was the highest recorded, influenced by global warming and westerly winds.
The average temperature from January to December was 1.48 degrees Celsius higher than the mean temperature for the 30-year period ending in 2020, marking the largest variance since data collection began in 1898 and surpassing the previous year's record of 1.29 degrees Celsius, as noted by the JMA on Tuesday.
Record-high average temperatures were noted in autumn last year after the country experienced its hottest summer, tying the previous record set in 2023.
By month, April, July, and October recorded unprecedented highs, according to the JMA.
Japan has observed a pattern of persistently elevated temperatures in recent years, with 2019 to 2024 being classified as the six hottest years on record.
