Heavy snow fell on central Tokyo on Jan. 6. (Kazushige Kobayashi)

Photo/Illutration Pedestrians walk at a crossing in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward under the falling snow on Jan. 6. (Tetsuro Takehana)

The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) has issued a heavy snowfall warning for Tokyo for the first time in years, as well as one for neighboring Chiba Prefecture.

The warnings came after a low-pressure system south of Honshu caused heavy snow mainly in the southern Kanto region on Jan. 6.

Six centimeters of snow had fallen on central Tokyo by evening that day. The high temperature of the day was 2.6 degrees, the first time in 19 years for the high in central Tokyo to fall under 3 degrees. 

The agency is urging people to prepare for public transit disruptions and beware of frozen roads.

For the 24-hour period until 6 p.m. on Jan. 7, in the southern Kanto region, mountainous areas will see 3 cm of snow while low-lying areas can expect 5 cm, according to the JMA.

Tokyo’s 23 wards are expected to be hit with 10 cm of snow.

All Nippon Airways Co. (ANA) and Japan Airlines Co. (JAL) canceled dozens of their flights scheduled at Haneda Airport the same day due to the snow, delaying thousands of travelers.

As of 2 p.m., ANA canceled a total of 39 domestic flights, affecting almost 3,500 passengers. JAL canceled 48 domestic flights as of 2:30 p.m. It also canceled two domestic flights at Narita Airport. The 50 flights canceled by JAL has affected nearly 4,350 passengers.

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