The recent torrential rain in Japan has damaged more than 4,700 homes in 22 prefectures, mainly in the Kyushu region.
The Fire and Disaster Management Agency said 4,711 houses had sustained damage from the downpours as of 6:30 a.m. on Thursday.
The Japanese government says it plans to designate the heavy rain that swamped the southwestern region of Kyushu as a "severe natural disaster" in order to increase state subsidies for reconstruction work.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga Yoshihide told reporters on Wednesday that the government is assessing the damage to decide which areas should be covered by the measure.
Japanese financial institutions are offering support for victims of the heavy rains that have battered southwestern and central Japan. Four major banks say they will lend money at reduced interest rates to people who need their homes rebuilt or renovated.
The banks are Sumitomo Mitsui, Mitsubishi UFJ, Mizuho, and Resona.
A lingering seasonal rain front may bring torrential downpours in western and eastern Japan through Friday.
Japan's Meteorological Agency says warm, damp air is flowing toward the seasonal rain front, destabilizing atmospheric conditions and causing rain clouds to develop in Shikoku, Kinki and elsewhere.
The Japanese government has instructed the country's 47 prefectures to take due measures as it approves a further easing of restrictions on events on Friday as planned.
The government maintains medical resources are available despite a surge in the number of coronavirus infections in Tokyo and its neighboring prefectures, and says a state of emergency need not be declared.
Japanese authorities reported Wednesday that 157 more people have been infected with the coronavirus.
That includes one person in the southwestern prefecture of Okinawa, which hadn't confirmed any cases in more than two months.
Japanese weather officials warn that continuing heavy rain in some parts of the country may trigger disasters. Click to watch our NHK World meteorologist provide the latest details and the rain forecast.
A seasonal rain front is hovering over Japan, bringing torrential rain to many parts of the country. Weather officials are warning of flooding and landslides in central and western Japan.
Heavy rain pounded the northern Kyushu region early Wednesday morning.
A seasonal rain front is hovering over Japan, bringing torrential rain to many parts of the country. Weather officials are warning of flooding and landslides in central and western Japan.
Heavy rain pounded the northern Kyushu region early Wednesday morning.
Japanese defense officials plan to speed up talks with their US and British counterparts about how to cooperate on the development of Japan's new fighter jet.
The Japanese government plans to lead the development, with a view to international collaboration, of a new stealth fighter to replace the Air Self-Defense Force's F-2 aircraft. The F-2s are scheduled to be retired from around 2035.
Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga Yoshihide says the government will make its best efforts to patrol territorial waters, after commenting on two Chinese patrol ships that remained for more than 39 hours.
Two Chinese patrol ships entered waters off the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea on July 2, and approached a Japanese fishing boat.
Japan's labor ministry says over 32,000 workers have been discharged by their employers or faced contract nonrenewal amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Ministry officials counted 32,348 such workers from the end of January through last Friday. Some 4,000 were added over the past week. The figures were taken from job placement agencies nationwide and other sources.
The Japanese government plans to ease restrictions later this week on holding events based on experts' assessment of coronavirus infections in the country.
Members of the newly-established subcommittee on coronavirus measures met for the first time on Monday.
Japan's newly established subcommittee on coronavirus measures has called for thorough testing of people with a high risk of having the pathogen.
The head of the government's subcommittee, Omi Shigeru, spoke at a news conference after the group's first meeting on Monday. Omi is also the chief of Japan Community Health care Organization.