News On Japan

Snow falls 30 days early in Fukuoka

FUKUOKA - Fukuoka City, on the northern shore of Japan's Kyushu Island, observed its first snowfall of the season on Saturday, 30 days ahead of average.

Hakata Ward in Fukuoka City was hit by a severe hailstorm amid strong winds at about 7:30 AM Saturday morning, Nov 18.

The Fukuoka District Meteorological Observatory confirmed the early snowfall, highlighting its arrival 30 days sooner than the average and 26 days earlier than the previous year.

Mountains with higher altitudes were entirely blanketed in snow.

A surge of the season's coldest air into the northern Kyushu region has resulted in unstable weather conditions. This led to occasional violent gusts, with Hakata Ward recording a peak wind speed of 26.7 meters per second.

In Hakata Ward, a construction site's scaffolding nearly collapsed, prompting traffic restrictions on parts of Ohbashi Street.

The Meteorological Observatory has alerted the public to be cautious of strong winds and similar conditions through the early hours of Sunday, Nov 19, FBS Fukuoka reports.

Source: FBS福岡放送ニュース

News On Japan
POPULAR NEWS

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree placing the Russian operations of Japan Tobacco (JT) under the temporary management of a local company, effectively stripping the Japanese tobacco giant of control over its business in the country and prompting a formal protest from Tokyo demanding that the measure be immediately withdrawn.

Central Tokyo recorded its first November summer day in three years on November 6, with temperatures climbing to 25.3 degrees Celsius, while northern Japan faced the threat of violent winds and severe snowstorms from the evening and a tropical depression far south of the country threatened to develop into Typhoon No. 32, potentially the first such storm in 32 years.

Bears preparing for winter hibernation may be able to determine when astringent persimmons have lost their bitterness and become suitable to eat, according to research by the University of Hyogo, which suggests that prioritizing the removal of sweet persimmon trees could help prevent bears from entering residential areas.

Japan's government is facing growing pressure from opposition lawmakers to clarify who will qualify for a new financial support program and how much they will receive, as deliberations on legislation to reduce the consumption tax on food and introduce payments for low- and middle-income earners enter their final stages in the House of Representatives.

A smartphone caught fire at Narita Airport's Terminal 1 shortly after 7:30 a.m. on November 4th, prompting the dispatch of 10 fire trucks and other emergency vehicles before the blaze was extinguished about 30 minutes later, with no injuries reported.

MEDIA CHANNELS
         

MORE Travel NEWS

East Japan Railway (JR East) opened its Haneda Airport Access Line construction site to the media on November 6, offering a glimpse of a major underground railway project that will connect Haneda Airport directly with central Tokyo, with services scheduled to begin in fiscal 2031.

Residents of Awaji Island, one of the Kansai region's most popular resort destinations, are facing growing disruption from vacation rentals, with complaints involving late-night drinking, outdoor barbecues, fireworks, illegal parking and garbage disposal violations, while one property operator has been accused of destroying a warning sign installed by neighbors.

A bear cub charged toward a family standing outside their home in Ome, western Tokyo, on November 3rd, rushing straight toward the front door moments after a high-pitched cry was heard from nearby bushes, in an encounter that left the resident shaken.

As of 3 a.m. on November 6, Typhoon No. 31 (In-fa) was moving northeast across the Pacific Ocean east of Japan at 75 kilometers per hour and was expected to become an extratropical cyclone by Friday afternoon, although dangerous swells and high waves could continue along Japan's Pacific coast throughout the day.

Six Pakistani nationals have been arrested on suspicion of repeatedly operating unauthorized taxi services for foreign tourists in Kyoto and other sightseeing destinations, with police investigating what they believe may be an organized operation involving additional suspects.

A smartphone caught fire at Narita Airport's Terminal 1 shortly after 7:30 a.m. on November 4th, prompting the dispatch of 10 fire trucks and other emergency vehicles before the blaze was extinguished about 30 minutes later, with no injuries reported.

Osaka's annual Midosuji Illumination began on November 3rd, lighting up approximately four kilometers of the city's main thoroughfare from Umeda to Namba with colorful displays celebrating the street's history as one of Osaka's most recognizable winter attractions.

Kyoto's popular Sagano Romantic Train is attracting large numbers of foreign tourists for its final autumn season, with the familiar red-and-black carriages set to retire at the end of 2026 after carrying a cumulative 30 million passengers, making way for new trains scheduled to enter service in 2027.