Japan: Record Snowfall Kills 30, Prompts Military Aid

Is Japan's record snowfall driven by warming oceans or simply natural geography and weather patterns?

Published 10 hours ago

Japan: Record Snowfall Kills 30, Prompts Military Aid

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Above: People commute along a snow-covered street in Japan's Aomori City on Feb. 3, 2026. Image credit: JIJI Press/AFP/Getty Images

The Spin

Climate-concerned narrative

Climate change is directly fueling Japan's record-breaking snowfall through warmer ocean temperatures. The Sea of Japan has been warming at twice the global average rate, supercharging moisture into winter storms and creating unprecedented snow dumps. While total snow days may decrease, warming oceans are making individual snowfall events more intense and dangerous than ever before.

India Today NHK

Climate-skeptic narrative

Japan's extreme snowfall is simply a natural result of its unique geography and meteorological conditions, not climate alarm. Cold Siberian air crossing the Sea of Japan and hitting mountain ranges has created legendary powder snow for centuries. This geographical snow engine has made Japan one of the snowiest places on Earth long before modern climate concerns.

Government of Japan