UPDATE 4: Massive Pileup in Gunma Pref. Kills 1, Injures 26; Slippery Conditions Believed to Be Cause of Accident

The Yomiuri Shimbun

13:40 JST, December 27, 2025

MAEBASHI — One person died and 26 were injured in a massive pileup involving more than 50 vehicles, 16 of which caught fire, on the Kan-Etsu Expressway in Gunma Prefecture on Friday night, according to police.

The collision occurred on outbound lanes near the Minakami Interchange.

Miyuki Wakita, 77, died after being transported to a hospital. Police confirmed that five of the injured were in serious condition.

As of Saturday evening, the expressway remains closed in both directions between the Yuzawa and Tsukiyono interchanges in Minakami.

According to the prefectural expressway police, the initial collision occurred at about 7:25 p.m. A medium-sized truck skidded and stopped sideways on the road and was struck from behind by a large truck.

A chain reaction followed as oncoming vehicles collided with one another to avoid the initial crash. One of the vehicles caught fire, and the blaze quickly spread to at least 15 others.

The accident occurred on a two-lane downhill stretch with a gentle curve to the left. The road was under a heavy snow warning at the time of the crash, and the surface was slippery due to compressed snow, according to the police.