Japan’s Self-Defence Forces dispatched as heavy snow leaves 30 dead

Heavy snowfall in Japan has left at least 30 people dead and more than 100 injured over the weekend. Japan’s Self-Defence Forces deployed troops to Aomori for disaster relief by February 3, 2026, clearing snow from rooftops and roads. In Sapporo, around 1,000 winter service vehicles cleared 3,800km (2,361 miles) of roads. The severe weather could impact voter turnout in the general election scheduled for February 8, 2026.