Weather officials say a seasonal rain front lingering over Japan is creating localized thunderclouds that will unleash torrential quantities of rain over western and eastern Japan through Sunday. They warn that the downpour could trigger landslides and overflowing rivers.

The Meteorological Agency says the rainclouds formed over the Tokai and Kanto-Koshin regions on Saturday because of unstable atmospheric conditions.

Seoul has again asked the World Trade Organization to establish a dispute settlement panel over Japan's tightened export controls of industrial materials to South Korea. The WTO is expected to approve the request.

In July last year, Japan tightened export controls for three materials used to make high-tech products such as semiconductors.

Prosecutors in Tokyo are expected to indict Lower House lawmaker and former Justice Minister Kawai Katsuyuki, along with his wife, Upper House member Kawai Anri, on charges of election law violations on Wednesday.

The prosecutors believe the couple gave about 270,000 dollars in cash to about 100 local politicians and supporters. They think the aim was to secure votes last July for the wife, who won her seat.

Japanese weather officials forecast rain and thunder storms will hit wider parts of western Japan from Thursday night through Saturday.

The Meteorological Agency expects a seasonal rain front and a low-pressure system to approach the region on Friday and later.

Sources say former Justice Minister Kawai Katsuyuki and his Diet lawmaker wife Anri handed cash to dozens of local assembly members in her Hiroshima constituency.

The couple were arrested by Tokyo prosecutors on Thursday on suspicion of violating the public office election law.

NHK has learned that a government expert panel has approved a report that says sustained transmission of the coronavirus is likely to occur in Japan.

Tokyo confirmed 41 new cases on Wednesday, bringing the nationwide total to over 1,300.

Japan's highest court is likely to rule against Okinawa Prefecture in a lawsuit over a landfill project that is needed for the relocation of a US base there.

The prospect emerged as the Supreme Court's First Petty Bench now says it will issue a ruling on March 26 without holding a hearing. Hearings are needed when the top court reverses lower court rulings.

The Japanese government is considering the postponement of the Imperial couple's visit to Britain amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Arrangements have been underway for the couple to spend about a week in the UK on a state visit in early May.

Japanese weather officials are forecasting blizzards for the northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido from Thursday to Friday.

Japan Meteorological Agency officials say a rapidly developing low-pressure system is expected to reach off Hokkaido, and another is approaching northeastern Japan on Thursday.

NHK has learned that arrangements are being made for Japan's Imperial couple to make a state visit to Britain for about a week in early May.

The British royal household announced last month that Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako had accepted an invitation from Queen Elizabeth.

The ‘Type R' name has only ever been used on a handful of vehicles from Honda and during a recent interview with Autoblog, the car manufacturer said it's very protective of the name and won't use it for any old model.

Japanese health experts say many passengers onboard a quarantined cruise ship were very likely to have been infected with the new coronavirus before authorities asked them to stay in their cabins.

Officials at the National Institute of Infectious Diseases held a news conference on Thursday. They discussed mass infections on the Diamond Princess, which arrived at Yokohama Port, near Tokyo, on February 3.

Organizers of the Tokyo Marathon are planning to cancel entries from the general public for the event to be held on March 1 due to the coronavirus outbreak.

About 170 male and female runners invited from Japan and abroad are expected to take part in the race.

Weather officials are forecasting heavy snow in western Japan, and warn that traffic may be disrupted.

Japan has been having a mild winter, but a cold air mass is bringing snow to some areas of western Japan.