Rescuers on Sunday recovered the bodies of two of three mountain climbers from Aichi Prefecture who went missing after being caught in an avalanche Thursday evening in Kurobe canyon in Toyama Prefecture, police officials said.
Police identified the pair as Yoshitaka Inaishi, 25, and Eriko Asaoka, 28. Their bodies were found near the avalanche site in the afternoon.
Rescuers said they will resume their search Monday morning for the third climber, Teruyuki Ariga, 38.
The three were hit by the avalanche after turning back midway on their climb of the 2,998-meter Mount Tsurugi due to heavy snow.
Meanwhile, police rescued a group of five other climbers Sunday morning after snow cut them off while they were going from 2,501-meter Mount Dainichidake to Mount Tsurugi. Both mountains are in Toyama Prefecture.
Heavy snowfall lashed wide areas of central and northeastern Japan over the past week.