Japan's Meteorological Agency is warning that a powerful typhoon will approach or land in the country's main southwestern island of Kyushu at close to full strength between Sunday and Monday.

Weather officials are calling on people to start preparing as soon as possible for Typhoon Haishen.

Japan's education ministry says 18 clusters of coronavirus infections have occurred at schools since they reopened in June after a nationwide closure.

The ministry says 1,166 students from elementary to senior high schools were infected with the virus during the period through the end of August. The number of teachers and staff infected was 194. And 83 children and staff at kindergartens were also infected.

Officials in Japan are warning about the approach of what might be one of the most powerful typhoons to hit the country in decades. It comes after another powerful storm brought severe weather to the country's southwest.

Typhoon Haishen is building strength over waters to the south of Japan. The powerful storm is expected to approach the southwestern part of the country from Sunday through Monday, with nearly its full force.

The mercury reached a dangerous 40.2 degrees Celsius in Niigata Prefecture on Thursday -- the first time anywhere in Japan that temperatures have hit the 40- degree mark in the month of September.

The record temperature for September was observed in the city of Sanjo near the Sea of Japan coast shortly before 2:00 p.m.

Typhoon Haishen is gathering strength over waters south of Japan. The powerful storm is expected to approach the southwestern part of the country between Sunday and Monday.

Japan's Meteorological Agency said the typhoon was moving westward at a speed of about 20 kilometers per hour as of noon Thursday, Japan time.

Japan has ranked 20th out of 38 in a UNICEF report on the well-being of children in the world's richest countries.

In the report released on Thursday, UNICEF evaluated the well-being of children of high income countries that are members of the OECD or the EU. The result was based on three dimensions: mental well-being, physical health and skills for life.

Japanese weather officials are warning of two typhoons, with one of them already affecting mainly the country's southwest, while the other is expected to approach in a few days.

The Meteorological Agency says Typhoon Maysak is traveling northward near the Korean Peninsula.

Two powerful weather systems are bearing down on western Japan from different directions. Weather officials are warning people on the southwestern island of Kyushu to prepare for a strong typhoon.

At the same time, a severe tropical storm is expected to hit the region in the coming days.

Two powerful weather systems are bearing down on western Japan from different directions.

Weather officials are warning people on the southwestern island of Kyushu to prepare for a strong typhoon heading their way. At the same time, a severe tropical storm is expected to hit western Japan in the coming days.

Two powerful weather systems are bearing down on western Japan from different directions. Weather officials are warning people to prepare for a strong typhoon heading toward the southwestern island of Kyushu. At the same time, a severe tropical storm is expected to hit western Japan in the coming days.

Typhoon Maysak has been gathering force, and will likely approach northern Kyushu this evening. The island is already being buffeted by strong winds.

Japan is urging South Korea to maintain pressure on North Korea over its nuclear and ballistic missile programs by ensuring that sanctions against the North continue to be enforced.

On Tuesday, Japanese Ambassador to Seoul Tomita Koji had his first meeting with Lee In-young, who assumed the post of South Korea's unification minister in July.

Analysts have updated their projections for Japan's GDP as the impact of the pandemic becomes clearer. They're expecting a return to growth in fiscal 2021, but not before some significant economic pain.

Eight private research firms revised their projections for Japan's economy. The changes come after the country's GDP shrank at an annualized 27.8 percent in real terms in the April-to-June period.

The right-hand drive version of the new-gen Corvette was allegedly in jeopardy of not happening.

Japan's Prime Minister Abe Shinzo has stressed to US President Donald Trump that his successor will continue to bolster the Japan-US alliance. Abe made the comment in a phone call on Monday, Japan time, to explain his decision to resign.

Abe and Trump talked for about 30 minutes. The prime minister announced on Friday that he is leaving office for health reasons.