Heavy snowfall in Japan & Thousands of drivers stuck in traffic jam:
Heavy snow has been falling in Japan since Wednesday and as a result has stranded more than 1,000 vehicles forcing them to spend the night in their cars on Thursday. Parts of the country have been blanketed with snow after the country received a record snowfall.
More than 1,000 people in Japan were forced to spend the night in their cars on Thursday after record snowfall blanketed parts of the country.
Some 700 rescuers may take until Saturday morning to free them all, according to Nexco East, which is short for East Nippon Expressway Company.
"The government will do its utmost to rescue anyone who is stuck in their vehicle," the government's top spokesman, Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato, said at a regular briefing.
Troops from Japan's Self-Defense Force were delivering food, gasoline and blankets to the stranded drivers, and helping clear snow. Fire service crews were rescuing some drivers, including at least three people who were taken to hospital, according to public broadcaster NHK.