Following a request from Aomori City, Governor of Aomori Prefecture Miyashita Soichiro formally asked the commander of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force 9th Division in communication dated February 1 to dispatch troops for disaster relief operations in the city.

Aomori Governor Miyashita Soichiro:
There is an imminent threat to lives, so we submitted a request for disaster relief assistance from the Self-Defense Forces as of yesterday.

Emergency removal of rooftop snow will be carried out for households with elderly residents living alone, while efforts to gather information will also be carried out.

On February 1, Aomori City was hit by heavy snowfall. Snow accumulation reached 183 centimeters, the fourth highest on record.

Across the prefecture, more than 90 people have been injured so far, including fatalities caused by accidents during rooftop snow removal.

According to the prefectural government, this is the first time since 2005 that it requested disaster relief assistance from the Self-Defense Forces due to heavy snowfall.

Meanwhile, deadly accidents linked to snow removal have also been reported in the region.

According to the Daisen Police Station, a man was found collapsed on the first-floor roof of a house in Daisen City of Akita Prefecture at approximately 4:30 p.m. on January 31.

Firefighters who arrived at the scene later found a woman buried in the snow. Both were reported dead at the scene.

The victims were a 79-year-old man and his 78-year-old wife who lived in the house. Their son, who lives separately, visited the home after being unable to contact them and dialed the police after finding his father collapsed on the roof.

Based on their clothing and other factors, the police believe the two were clearing snow from the roof, and are investigating the cause of death.

Elsewhere, another fatal accident linked to snow removal has also been reported.

On the morning of February 1, two men clearing snow in a residential area near JR Tokamachi Station in Niigata Prefecture were swept into a waterway.

According to police, 74-year-old and 67-year-old men are said to have been clearing piled-up snow from a vacant house when the accident occurred.

Police and firefighters conducted a search, and the two men were found in a river flowing near the scene.

They were transported to a hospital, but were later pronounced dead.