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Forty-six prefectures saw subzero temperatures on Wednesday morning amid the strongest cold wave so far this winter, with only Okinawa Prefecture staying above freezing.
Heavy snow fell mainly in western Japan from Tuesday to Wednesday, leaving passengers on 16 trains stranded between stations in the Kinki region. Thirteen passengers were taken to the hospital.
The effects of the cold wave are expected to continue through Thursday.
As of 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, one death due to heavy snow had been confirmed and two snow-related deaths were under investigation, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno announced at a press conference on the day.
According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, four locations saw their lowest temperatures on record, including Miyazaki, which dropped to minus 3.9 C. Central Tokyo recorded its lowest temperature so far this winter at minus 2.9 C.
More than 90% of the nation’s observation points, or 867, marked subzero temperatures.
