Heavy snow caused traffic jams, flight cancellations and disruption to train services in central Japan on Monday, with record drifts recorded in some areas. No injuries or deaths due to the freezing weather have yet been confirmed, government spokesman Hirokazu Matsuno said. “A strong winter pressure pattern is causing heavy snow, mainly along the Sea of Japan side of the country from northern to western Japan, with some areas experiencing record snowfall,” Matsuno said. Nearly 200 passengers were snowed in overnight on a local train line in the region, NHK said. Around 130 domestic flights were cancelled on Sunday due to the snow, Jiji Press said, with NHK reporting some 50 cancellations on Monday.

Source: The Guardian December 27, 2021 09:56 UTC