Japan's prime minister said his country needs to attract more people with professional skills from other countries, and would consider reforms of its residency program.
Kishida Fumio told reporters on Saturday that nations around the world are competing fiercely to attract people with high levels of knowledge and skills.
Weather officials have issued an emergency warning for southwestern Japan's Kagoshima Prefecture, which is threatened by an exceptionally powerful typhoon. Japan's Meteorological Agency says people in the prefecture should be on maximum alert for violent winds, high waves and a storm surge.
The agency issued the emergency warning at 9:40 p.m. on Saturday. Typhoon Nanmadol could make landfall or come closest to the prefecture during the day on Sunday.
People across southwestern Japan are bracing for a typhoon with enormous destructive power.
The Meteorological Agency has advised taking maximum precautions before Nanmadol hits.
US weather officials are describing a violent typhoon approaching Kyushu in southwestern Japan as a "super typhoon."
The Joint Typhoon Warning Center, or JTWC, said according to its analysis on Saturday Typhoon Nanmadol has strengthened. It has maximum winds exceeding 216 kilometers per hour.
Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways have canceled at least 335 flights that had been scheduled to arrive at or depart from airports in Japan on Sunday, as Typhoon Nanmadol approaches the southwestern main island of Kyushu.
Japan Airlines has canceled 282 flights that had been scheduled to arrive at or depart from airports on Sunday, mainly in Shikoku and Kyushu.
Relatives of Japanese nationals abducted by North Korea have called on the Japanese government to take concrete steps to bring back their loved ones.
Saturday marks the 20th anniversary of the first Japan-North Korea summit, at which Pyongyang admitted to the abductions. Five abductees were repatriated after the summit.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government reported 8,018 new cases of the coronavirus on Saturday.
That's down 1,970 from a week ago.
Weather officials in Japan are urging people in Kyushu to be on high alert as a large and powerful typhoon approaches the Daito Islands in Okinawa Prefecture on Saturday. The typhoon is expected to come very close to or make landfall in the southwestern prefecture of Kagoshima on Sunday.
The Meteorological Agency says that at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Typhoon Nanmadol was traveling northwest over the sea 170 kilometers east-northeast of Minami Daito Island at 20 kilometers per hour.
Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako have left for Britain to attend the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II.
The plane carrying the Emperor and the Empress took off from Tokyo's Haneda Airport shortly after 11:20 a.m. on Saturday.
World-renowned Japanese ballerina Morishita Yoko has performed a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II.
The 73-year-old danced with about 30 members of her company on Friday in Tokyo. Afterward, she said, "The queen was such a great figure who gave courage and hope to people around the world."
NHK has learned that Tokyo prosecutors have questioned former Japanese Olympic Committee President Takeda Tsunekazu about sponsorship contracts for the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics.
Sources close to the matter tell NHK that Takeda was questioned on a voluntary basis.
Japanese weather officials say large and very strong Typhoon Nanmadol is expected to track close to Okinawa Prefecture and the Amami region of Kagoshima Prefecture through Saturday. It is likely to approach the Kyushu region on Sunday.
Meteorological Agency officials say that Nanmadol is very dangerous and are urging residents to be on high alert for possible disasters triggered by violent winds and heavy rain.
Japanese weather officials say large and powerful Typhoon Nanmadol is expected to track close to Okinawa Prefecture, the Amami region of Kagoshima Prefecture and the southern Kyushu region from Friday through Saturday.
The storm may also affect eastern and northern Japan from Saturday through Monday.
Japan's trade minister has stressed that it is important for the country to cooperate with its partners to bring about global peace and stability amid uncertainties stemming from the coronavirus pandemic and Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Nishimura Yasutoshi spoke to reporters on Thursday after attending a Group of Seven trade ministers' meeting in Germany.