An advance team of Nagano police and firefighters surveyed areas near the peak of Mount Ontake on Sunday ahead of restarting the search for bodies still believed buried following the volcano's deadly eruption last September.
The 3,067-meter volcano, which straddles Nagano and Gifu prefectures, erupted Sept. 27, leaving 57 people dead and six missing.
The team of 44 conducted the survey to narrow down the areas to be searched when the effort gets underway later this month.
They are considering setting up a shelter near the peak to ensure the safety of team members, according to the Nagano Prefecture disaster headquarters.