A new onslaught of heavy rain may bring even more flooding and landslides to Japan. More than 10,000 people in the country's west have been advised to leave their homes as severe weather refuses to let up.
Officials issued the evacuation orders and advisories Tuesday, after a river in Shimane Prefecture burst its banks.
An NHK poll shows that nearly 70 percent of people in Japan want the government to prioritize the fight against the coronavirus over the economy.
The telephone survey was conducted over the weekend. More than 1,200 people responded.
More heavy rains are expected in parts of Japan, including Kyushu and Tokai, which have already been hit by record rainfall.
The Meteorological Agency says warm, damp air is flowing towards a seasonal rain front hovering around the Japanese archipelago, destabilizing atmospheric conditions. Rain clouds are developing in northern Kyushu and the Chugoku region.
Much of Japan can expect even more damaging rain over the coming days. The Meteorological Agency is calling on people in both eastern and western Japan to be on alert for landslides and flooding.
The weather system is set to batter areas of Kyushu, already struggling with the aftermath of earlier downpours.
Much of Japan can expect even more damaging rain over the coming days. The Meteorological Agency is calling on people in both eastern and western Japan to be on alert for landslides and flooding.
The weather system is set to batter areas of Kyushu, already struggling with the aftermath of earlier downpours.
Much of Japan can expect even more damaging rain over the coming days. The Meteorological Agency is calling on people in both eastern and western Japan to be on alert for landslides and flooding.
The weather system is set to batter areas of Kyushu, already struggling with the aftermath of earlier downpours.
The Meteorological Agency says more heavy rain is expected in eastern and western Japan, and people should remain on the alert for landslides and flooding.
Some rivers in Iwate Prefecture are at risk of overflowing.
The Meteorological Agency says more heavy rain is expected in eastern and western Japan, and people should remain on the alert for landslides and floods.
The agency says radar analysis shows that about 100 millimeters of rain fell in one hour near the cities of Iwamizawa and Mikasa in Hokkaido on Sunday afternoon. A landslide warning has been issued for Iwamizawa.
Japan's disaster management minister says areas stricken by torrential rains are suffering from a lack of volunteers to help the cleanup.
Takeda Ryota appeared on a NHK program on Sunday. He said that the number of people who have come forward to volunteer has been very low, because of concerns over the coronavirus.
Heavy rain continues to fall across Japan. The risk of further floods and mudslides is high, as downpours have loosened the ground and damaged dikes in some areas.
Weather officials say an active rain front and a low pressure system extending over the Sea of Japan are destabilizing atmospheric conditions from the western part of the country to the northeast.
Heavy rain continues to fall intermittently in Gifu and Nagano Prefectures, central Japan, and in Kumamoto Prefecture, southwestern Japan. The earth had been loosened and dikes had been damaged in some areas, raising the risks of further floods and mudslides.
Weather officials say an active rain front and a low pressure system extending over the Sea of Japan are destabilizing atmospheric conditions from western Japan to the Tohoku region in northeastern Japan and causing rain clouds to develop.
Japan's health authorities reported 413 new cases of the coronavirus on Friday. It's the first time since April 24 for the daily tally to exceed 400.
243 of the new cases were reported in the nation's capital, Tokyo. Neighboring Kanagawa prefecture reported 32 cases.
Nishimura Yasutoshi, Japan's minister in charge of the country's response to the coronavirus, and Tokyo Governor Koike Yuriko have reaffirmed the need for more testing in the capital.
They also plan to continue easing restrictions on socio-economic activities in stages, despite a surge in cases in parts of the country, most notably Tokyo.
Localized downpours are forecast for western and eastern Japan through early Saturday. The southwestern region of Kyushu has had about half its average annual rainfall in just a week. People in affected areas are being advised to evacuate early as the situation could worsen quickly.
The Meteorological Agency says a rain front extending over the Sea of Japan and a low pressure system are destabilizing atmospheric conditions from western Japan to the Tohoku region in northern Japan. Rain clouds are developing over Kyushu and its neighboring region of Shikoku.