The Day of the Kan-etsu Expressway Pile-up

On December 27, Japanese editorial desks prioritized the catastrophic 67-vehicle pile-up on the Kan-etsu Expressway in Gunma Prefecture. Following a day dominated by a mass stabbing in Shizuoka, media attention shifted to the winter disaster triggered by heavy snow and icy roads. Throughout the morning, outlets tracked the rising casualty count, confirming multiple fatalities and dozens of injuries as vehicles ignited and rescue operations were hampered by blizzards. By the afternoon, logistical paralysis became the central theme, with NEXCO East reporting that highway closures would likely extend through the day, disrupting the peak New Year 'nine-day holiday' migration. While regional outlets focused on severe snow-related transit cancellations in Hokkaido, national media briefly pivoted to sports in the late afternoon, reporting on Naoya Inoue’s record-breaking 27th world title victory in Riyadh. Simultaneously, conservative outlets highlighted a government shift in defense policy, restricting weapon exports to nations with established security agreements.