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50-vehicle expressway pile-up in Tokyo: 1 dead, 26 injured
At least 17 vehicles were reported to have caught fire following the collision.
December 27, 2025, 11:25 AM
A massive chain collision involving more than 50 vehicles on an expressway in Gunma Prefecture, northwest of Tokyo, on Dec. 26 left one person dead and 26 others injured.
The accident occurred at around 7:30pm on the outbound lane of the Kanetsu Expressway in the town of Minakami, as snow fell and icy road conditions caused vehicles to lose control, local police said.
At least 17 vehicles were reported to have caught fire following the collision, The Manichi reported.
A woman, believed to be in her 70s, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Of the injured, five were seriously hurt, while 21 others sustained minor injuries.
Footage and images from the scene showed a long stretch of the expressway blocked by heavily damaged vehicles, with some burned and piled into one another.
The affected section of the expressway was closed to allow emergency services to carry out rescue and recovery operations.
Speaking to Kyodo News, one driver in his 60s said his truck hit the median after he swerved to avoid a vehicle ahead of him.
“The ice made it difficult for me to control the steering wheel. I feared for my life,” he said.
Police are currently investigating the exact cause of the accident, while warning motorists to exercise caution amid ongoing winter weather conditions.
Top image via Kyodo News and Alarabiya English on Instagram
