Record heavy snow disrupts Tokyo transit, including flights

Jan. 6 (UPI) -- Tokyo was issued a rare heavy snow warning from the Japan Meteorological Agency on Thursday.

The warning, which extends through Friday, includes the adjacent Chiba Prefecture.

The agency is urging residents to prepare for weather-related disruptions in public transit and icy roads as the city got 4 inches of snow on Thursday.

Dozens of Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines flights were cancelled at the Haneda and Narita airports due to snow, affecting thousands of travelers.

Kyodo News reported heavy snow delayed the Tokaido Shinkansen rail line between the Shinagawa and Atami stations.

In greater Tokyo there were also partial closures of the Metropolitan Expressway.

This is the first heavy snow warning for Tokyo in four years.

Temperatures in Tokyo and Yokohama were below zero Thursday.