In late January 2026, Japan was hit by heavy snowfall and cold temperatures, resulting in nearly 300 recorded injuries and the deaths of 30 people between 20 January and 3 February. Most of these were due to snow-related accidents, including while people were trying to remove snow from around their homes. While Japan is accustomed to heavy snowfall, this winter’s conditions were particularly severe. In the city of Aomori, accumulated snowfall reached the highest level recorded since 1986, and snow depth of more than double the seasonal average at about 175 cm.