菅首相「不要不急の外出控えて」　大雪に備え

　政府は３０日、年末年始に日本海側で大雪になる恐れがあるのを受け、首相官邸で関係閣僚会議を開いた。菅義偉首相は新型コロナウイルスの感染拡大防止も踏まえ、「不要不急の外出は控えるようお願いする」と国民に協力を求めた。
　政府は、今月中旬に関越自動車道で大雪による立ち往生が発生したことから、高速道路の利用者らに警戒を呼び掛けている。
　首相は「交通障害や施設への被害、屋根からの落雪やなだれに十分警戒してほしい」と強調した。（2020/12/30-18:14）

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga on Wednesday called on people in areas along the Sea of Japan coasts to refrain from unnecessary outings, with heavy snow expected there in the days to come.
   "I want people (in the areas) to be sufficiently aware of possible traffic disruptions and facility damage from the snow, and be fully alert for blocks of snow falling from roofs and avalanches," Suga said in a meeting of ministers preparing for heavy snow during the year-end and New Year's holiday period.
   The government is also alerting drivers on expressways, after massive snowfall left numerous vehicles stranded on the Kan-Etsu Expressway, which links Tokyo and the central Japan prefecture of Niigata, in mid-December.
   The Japan Meteorological Agency warned Wednesday that a strong winter pressure pattern is expected to dump snow mainly in Sea of Japan regions until around New Year's Day. Warnings were also issued for blizzards, strong winds, avalanches and high waves. An especially high alert is needed for the Chugoku western region, which could suddenly face heavier snowfall, the agency said.
   On Wednesday, snow mainly hit Sea of Japan areas of Hokkaido, northernmost Japan, to the Chugoku region. Many flights to and from airports in the areas were canceled, while the Tohoku Expressway was temporarily closed to traffic in Iwate Prefecture, northeastern Japan, as snow needed to be cleared. Part of the Hachinohe Expressway, connecting Iwate and neighboring Aomori Prefecture, was also shut for a while due to work to remove snow.