A strong cold air mass has brought snow and brisk wind to much of Japan. Some areas in western Japan have had snowstorms.
Weather officials warn of heavy snow and blizzards, mainly on the Sea of Japan coast.
The Meteorological Agency says developing low pressure systems brought the air mass.
As of 6 AM on Friday, Imazu in Shiga Prefecture had 22 centimeters of snow and the town of Sekigahara in Gifu Prefecture 10 centimeters.
Central Japan Railway Company says due to snow, Tokaido Shinkansen trains are running at a slower speed. Delays of up to 25 minutes are possible.
The southwestern Japanese city of Kagoshima, where snow is rare, also saw snowfalls in some areas on Friday morning. People and cars were moving cautiously.
In western Japan, up to 50 centimeters of snow fell in mountainous regions in the past 24 hours.
Weather officials say northerly winds will further intensify and are likely to bring heavy snow, mainly on the Sea of Japan coast in western Japan. Heavy snow is also forecast in some plains.
Source and image: NHK
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