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.
Authorities in rain-hit Nagano and Gifu prefectures are offering multilingual consultation services for foreigners visiting or living in Japan.
In Nagano Prefecture, the Nagano Prefecture Intercultural Consultation Center is offering telephone consultations free of charge in 15 languages.
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.
Japan's Meteorological Agency has switched a heavy rain emergency warning for Gifu and Nagano prefectures in the central part of the country to a warning. Residents should continue to watch out for floods and mudslides.
The heavy rain in the Kyushu region, southwestern Japan, started over the weekend, causing deadly flooding and mudslides.
Authorities in Kumamoto Prefecture say 44 people have been confirmed dead, one is without vital signs, and 10 others are missing.
Japan's newly-established subcommittee to discuss coronavirus measures has held its first meeting.
The subcommittee replaces a previous panel of experts that provided key proposals to the government with a focus on curbing the outbreak.
Japanese tech firm Fujitsu is embracing the new normal for working that's been brought on by the pandemic. The company says work-from-home will become standard practice for about 80,000 domestic employees.
Fujitsu will also stop the practice of job transfers that can result in employees living away from family. The changes will go into effect later this month.
Heavy rain pounding the Kyushu region in southwestern Japan has already caused mudslides and flooding, with deadly results.
Officials say 41 people have been confirmed dead in Kumamoto Prefecture.
Japan's Meteorological Agency has issued a heavy rain emergency warning for Nagasaki, Saga and Fukuoka prefectures in Kyushu. The warning is the highest level on the agency's scale.
Sources at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government say 102 new cases of coronavirus infection were confirmed on Monday.
The number of daily cases in the capital has surpassed 100 for five straight days.
Japanese automakers are moving beyond the plant shutdowns stemming from the coronavirus. They've brought most of their overseas facilities back online as they gear up for recovering demand.
The companies have been gradually reopening their plants mainly in Europe and the US since May.
Japan is bracing for more torrential downpours through Friday as a lingering seasonal rain front threatens the western and eastern parts of the country. The rain has already left flooding and landslides along Japan's archipelago in its wake.
In Kyoto, a powerful mudslide swept away three cars near an interchange of an expressway. Officials say no one was injured.
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.