Two people have died following a residential fire in Hakodate (a port city in southern Hokkaido, Japan's northernmost main island), where one body was recovered from the burned-out structure and a second victim died after being transported to hospital. A further fatality was recorded in a separate fire in the Tokachi region of Hokkaido. The back-to-back incidents highlight ongoing concerns about fire safety in Hokkaido, where cold winters and older wooden housing stock can increase the risk of deadly blazes.