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	The police confirmed the discovery of nine bodies in three vehicles trapped early Sunday inside the 4.7-kilometre Sasago tunnelon the Chuo Expressway, the Kyodo News agency reported.</p>
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	Five burned bodies were found in a van that was crushed in the tunnel in Otsuki, about 80 kilometres west of Tokyo, while three bodies were also detected in a car and the death of the driver of a truck was also confirmed, Kyodo said.</div>
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	Central Nippon Expressway Co, which operates the 35-year-old expressway, said it had not detected any defects during a regular inspection in September.</div>

Nine confirmed dead in highway tunnel roof collapse

Tokyo - At least nine people were confirmed dead by early Monday after the roof of a highway tunnel collapsed in central Japan,reports said, citing police.