Monday, December 26 2005 10:16 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Tokyo: An express train travelling through strong winter winds derailed in northern Japan, killing four people and injuring 33, officials said today (Dec 26, 2005).

A man, believed to be the last one inside, was found dead early today, a Yamagata prefectural police spokesman said on condition of anonymity, citing departmental policy.

Five cars of the six-car express train derailed yesterday evening, and three of the cars toppled onto their sides in Yamagata prefecture (state), about 290 kilometres north of Tokyo.

The injuries of the survivors taken to hospitals did not appear to be life-threatening, said another Yamagata police spokesman, Yoshikatsu Oe. Most of the injured passengers were riding in the first two cars.

Rescuers plan to lift the wreckage to see if any survivors are beneath it. It was unclear how many passengers were on the train; one official had earlier said it was 30, but the tally of the injured and trapped indicated it was more.

The police spokesman said all passengers died in the first car, which smashed into a nearby pig pen and buckled in the middle.

Transport Ministry official Ryotaro Miyamoto said four accident investigators headed to the site today, and more experts were to be dispatched later in the day.