Seven people died in separate house fires in Niigata and Aomori prefectures on Sunday, according to police officials.
Four people were found dead after a fire gutted a house early Sunday in the city of Niigata, and three others died in a fire in Hachinohe, Aomori Prefecture.
The fire department in Niigata received an emergency call shortly after midnight Saturday. Satoshi Miyashita, 60, and four other people lived in the house. Police believe the four victims resided at the residence.
One of the inhabitants, 19-year-old Tsumugi Miyashita, was taken to a hospital after the blaze, police added.
In the city of Hachinohe, three people died after a fire burned down a three-story home.
Yasuomi Kurata, 71, and his 69-year-old sister Keiko were pronounced dead at a hospital, while the other victim is believed to be Kurata's 94-year-old mother Fumie.
Kurata's 63-year-old brother was taken to a hospital, the local police said.
