A winter snowstorm disrupted air travel, rail services and major highways in wide areas of Japan on Saturday, with three weather-related deaths reported across the country.
Tokyo registering its heaviest snowfall in 20 years, prompting the Japan Meteorological Agency to issue its first heavy snowfall warning for the capital since 2001. Snow levels had reached 25 centimetres by late Saturday.
The heavy snowfall risks causing problems to Sunday’s gubernatorial election in the Japanese capital.
Throughout Japan, 3 people died and about 500 were injured in snow-related accidents, broadcaster NHK reported.
Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways suspended all domestic flights to and from Tokyo Haneda Airport for several hours, affecting 95,000 travellers. Several major highways in central, eastern and north-eastern Japan were also closed.
The agency expects up to 50 centimetres of snow to fall in some parts of the country on Sunday.
