Overview
- Japan’s Meteorological Agency warns of violent winds, blizzards, and high waves across northern Japan and Hokuriku through January 15 as a rapidly intensifying low tracks over the Okhotsk Sea.
- The forecast calls for peak sustained winds up to 23 m/s in Hokkaido (gusts to 35 m/s) and wave heights of 5 meters in Hokkaido and 6 meters in Tohoku and Hokuriku.
- Transport has been severely disrupted in Hokkaido, with JR Hokkaido canceling 90 trains including Rapid Airport services and about 900 people spending the night at New Chitose Airport after flight cancellations.
- Japan’s earthquake investigation committee raised the 30‑year probability of a magnitude 7.8–8.5 quake off Nemuro to about 90 percent, clarifying this is a long‑term statistical assessment rather than a sign of imminent activity.
- The New York Times cites an Iranian health official reporting roughly 3,000 deaths in protests and Reuters cites an Iranian official putting the toll at 2,000, while rights group HRA lists over 640, with verification hampered by an internet shutdown; Jiji reports the leaders of the Constitutional Democratic Party and Komeito will meet on January 15.