Heavy Snow Causes Havoc in Japan as Cold Snap Sweeps Through Asia

Vehicles are stuck due to heavy snowfall and snowplow cars on a highway in Koga, Shiga prefecture, Japan, on Jan. 25, 2023. Kyodo/via Reuters

TOKYO—Heavy snow blanketed wide swathes of Japan on Wednesday, snarling traffic, forcing hundreds of flight cancellations, disrupting train travel, and leaving at least one person dead.

An unusually cold weather front and extreme low pressure systems set snow falling and strong winds blowing across Japan from Tuesday after causing havoc in other Asia countries earlier this week.