Japan experiences severe wind and seasonal cold snap

A powerful cold front brought intense winds and the season's first major cold snap across much of Japan on October 28 and 29. In Tokyo, the arrival of 'kogarashi No. 1'—the first strong seasonal north wind—was recorded for the first time in October in nine years. The high winds caused significant disruption, including a tree falling on power lines that halted the JR Keihin-Tohoku Line, affecting approximately 105,000 commuters.

The severe weather led to several accidents and injuries. In Hokkaido, a construction worker was left unconscious after being struck by a bundle of iron moved by strong winds, and two men were rescued after a garage collapsed in Otaru. In Tokyo, a fire in Adachi Ward was exacerbated by the wind, resulting in a minor burn to a resident.

Temperatures dropped sharply nationwide, with 639 locations recording their lowest temperatures of the season. In Miyagi Prefecture, the phenomenon of 'kearashi' (sea fog) was observed in Kesennuma Port. While much of the country faced freezing or near-freezing conditions, parts of Okinawa remained mostly cloudy with occasional rain due to moist air moving around high-pressure systems.