Traffic Halt on Expressway in Japan Marks 3rd Day

Tokyo, Dec. 18 (Jiji Press)--A traffic standstill on the Kan-Etsu Expressway in eastern Japan, caused by heavy snowfall, marked its third consecutive day on Friday.

Around 670 vehicles remained stranded on a Tokyo-bound section of the expressway linking the Japanese capital and Niigata Prefecture, central Japan, as of 3 p.m. (6 a.m. GMT), according to East Nippon Expressway Co., or Nexco East. Earlier in the day, the figure stood at around 1,000 vehicles.

The gridlock on a Niigata-bound section of the expressway was relieved after a day and a half at around 6 a.m. the same day.

Nexco East and the Ground Self-Defense Force are removing snow on the expressway, but it is unclear when traffic flows will resume.

Snow has piled up between Tokyo-bound vehicles, making snow removal work slow and difficult, Nexco East said.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]