Heavy Rain Emergency Warning For 3 Kyushu Prefs.

Heavy rain emergency warning for 3 Kyushu prefs.

Japan's Meteorological Agency has issued a heavy rain emergency warning for Fukuoka, Saga, and Nagasaki prefectures in the country's southwestern region of Kyushu. The warning is the highest level on the agency's scale.

The prefectures are experiencing rainfall that hasn't been seen in several decades.

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Kyushu On High Alert For More Rain

Kyushu on high alert for more rain

Weather officials are urging people in the Kyushu region, southwestern Japan, to be on high alert for floods and landslides, as heavy rain continues.

Localized downpours are drenching Kagoshima and Miyazaki prefectures, after record rainfalls wreaked havoc in neighboring Kumamoto Prefecture over the weekend. Kumamoto continued to see torrential rain on Monday morning.

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At Least 24 Dead After Rains In Kumamoto Pref.

At least 24 dead after rains in Kumamoto Pref.

Rescue workers continue to search for missing people in Kumamoto Prefecture, southwestern Japan, after record rainfalls triggered floods and landslides over the weekend.

Officials say 24 people have been confirmed dead. A further 16 are without vital signs, and 12 others are missing.

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Koike To Put Priority On Tackling Coronavirus

Koike to put priority on tackling coronavirus

Tokyo Governor Koike Yuriko has renewed her commitment to the fight against the coronavirus after winning a second term.

Koike spoke to reporters as she arrived at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building on Monday morning. She garnered over 3.66 million votes in Sunday's election.

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Business Leaders Weigh In On Hopes For Second Term

Business leaders weigh in on hopes for second term

Japanese business leaders have weighed in on what they are hoping for from Tokyo Governor Koike Yuriko after she won a second term in Sunday's election.

The Chairman of the Japan Business Federation, or Keidanren, says Japan is entering a critical stage. Nakanishi Hiroaki says the governor should focus on containing the coronavirus and putting the economy back on track.

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More Japanese Firms Ask Workers To Retire Early

More Japanese firms ask workers to retire early

More companies in Japan are asking staff to take early, voluntary retirement, as some of them struggle to weather the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

Private research firm Tokyo Shoko Research says 41 companies did so during the first half of this year. That is already more than the 35 in the whole of last year. It is also the first time since 2010 that the figure has topped 40 in a six-month period.

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Foreign Residents Support Center Opens In Tokyo

Foreign residents support center opens in Tokyo

The Japanese government opened a one-stop consultation center in Tokyo on Monday to provide assistance to foreign workers.

The Foreign Residents Support Center, or FRESC, is in Yotsuya, Shinjuku Ward. Eight government-affiliated organizations have offices there, including the Immigration Services Agency and the Japan Legal Support Center.

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Support Still Needed 2 Years Since Mass Flooding

Support still needed 2 years since mass flooding

Monday marks two years since torrential rains devastated large parts of western Japan. As of Wednesday last week, a total of 305 people have died or remain missing in 14 prefectures due to the disaster.

An NHK survey shows that 222 out of the total 296 deaths were directly caused by the disaster, such as landslides and flooding. The other 74 people died later from causes related to the disaster, such as health problems. The figure is up 22 from a year earlier.

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Rain Intensifies In Disaster - Hit Kumamoto

Rain intensifies in disaster-hit Kumamoto

Rain is intensifying in Japan's southwestern Kumamoto prefecture, which has already suffered deadly floods and landslides triggered by record downpours over the weekend. More torrential rain is forecast for the prefecture on Monday and Tuesday.

Japan's Meteorological Agency warns that developed rainclouds have been flowing into the Kyushu region, which includes the prefecture.

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Govt. Picks Over 100 Top Firms In Niche Industries

Govt. picks over 100 top firms in niche industries

Japan's Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry has compiled this year's list of more than 100 top domestic companies in niche industries worldwide.

The ministry selected the firms based on their global market shares and techniques to produce key parts or materials for supply chains. It plans to support the research and development of those companies.

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Osprey Transport Aircraft To Arrive In Chiba

Osprey transport aircraft to arrive in Chiba

Japan's Defense Ministry will fly an Osprey transport aircraft to Camp Kisarazu in Chiba Prefecture, near Tokyo, on Monday for temporary deployment by the Ground Self-Defense Force, or GSDF.

The Osprey is one of two that have been undergoing maintenance at US Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni in Japan's western prefecture of Yamaguchi since its arrival in May. The other Osprey will fly to Camp Kisarazu on Friday.

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Search For Missing Continues In Kumamoto

Search for missing continues in Kumamoto

Rescue workers continue to search for missing people in southwestern Japan, after record rainfall triggered floods and landslides over the weekend.

Officials say in Kumamoto Prefecture, 24 people have been confirmed dead, 16 are without vital signs, and 12 others are missing.

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Governor Koike Yuriko Wins Second Term

Governor Koike Yuriko wins second term

Tokyo Governor Koike Yuriko has won a second term after Sunday's voting. Koike laid out what she wants to accomplish over the coming years. She said her most urgent priority is fighting the coronavirus.

She said, "Under the nationwide state of emergency declaration, we asked almost all businesses in Tokyo to close down. But these days we know more about where and how the virus has been spreading. So we don't plan to ask all businesses to close down again. Instead, we will consider another effective measure to contain the spread of infection."

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24 Dead In Floods In Kumamoto Prefecture

24 dead in floods in Kumamoto Prefecture

The death toll from floods and landslides caused by heavy rain in Kumamoto Prefecture, southern Japan, has reached 24. Officials say another 16 people have no vital signs and 12 are missing.

The record rain on Saturday inundated many residential areas.

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