The highest number of casualties has been recorded in the northwest of Niigata Prefecture, where 17 people have died and more than 170 have been injured. A difficult situation is also developing in the cities of Aomori and Wakkanai, where a large number of vehicles have become stranded due to the snow.
The Japan Meteorological Agency has warned of upcoming heavy snowfall in the western and northern coastal areas of the country this coming weekend. Citizens have been urged to exercise caution, consider potential transportation issues, and be careful due to the risk of avalanche-like occurrences in conditions of intense precipitation.
These warnings come amid preparations for the general elections scheduled for Sunday.
