Heavy snow in coastal cities northwest of Tokyo from Monday through Tuesday has stranded hundreds of vehicles overnight on highways while disrupting local train services and causing power outages.
An 85-year-old man died after falling into a drain and five others were injured due to snow-related accidents or snow removal work, the Niigata prefectural government said.
With drivers stuck in the heavy snow on two national highways, Niigata Prefecture requested a disaster-relief dispatch of the Self-Defense Forces to help resolve the traffic congestion in Kashiwazaki and other cities.