TOKYO — Ten climbers have died as strong winds and rain struck two mountains in northern Japan, police said Friday. Nine died while climbing Mount Tomuraushi on Hokkaido, Japan's main northern island, said Hokkaido police spokesman Masafumi Yamasaki. Eight of them were part of an 18-member group tour, while the other was climbing alone. A 10th person died on another mountain on Hokkaido, he said. The weather at the 2,141-meter (7,024-foot) Tomuraushi peak was bad Thursday with strong winds and rain, according to Japan's Meteorological Agency. The temperature in the area was lower than usual. Yoshiaki Takeda, a local official near Mount Tomuraushi, said it was highly unusual to see such deadly accidents there. "The mountain has several shelters. We hear sometimes that climbers sprain their ankles. But we are not aware of such a deadly accident taking place at the mountain in the past," Takeda said. Police earlier had said one person was missing at Tomuraushi mountain,...
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