Overview
- East Nippon Expressway announced it will lift the remaining southbound closure between Tsukiyono and Minakami around 1 p.m. local time.
- Northbound traffic through the crash site reopened around 12:45 to 1:00 a.m., restoring limited movement ahead of the full reopening.
- The Dec. 26 collision near Minakami stretched about 300 meters and involved 67 vehicles, with roughly 20 reported to have caught fire.
- Two people were confirmed dead and at least 26 others were injured, including reports of five serious and 21 minor injuries.
- Recovery work continues under passing-lane restrictions, and operators had directed drivers to use alternate expressways during the closure.