“There is a risk of extremely heavy rain at warning levels,” top government spokesman Minoru Kihara told reporters.
“So far, we have received reports of one person seriously injured and three people with minor injuries”, as well as flooding in dozens of buildings mainly in the southern region of Kagoshima, he said.
“We offer our heartfelt sympathy to all those affected by the disaster, and we will continue to gain an accurate picture of the damage situation,” he said, adding the government is cooperating with municipalities to take “emergency disaster response measures”.
Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways cancelled a total of 120 flights to and from the southern regions of Okinawa and Kagoshima.
Local authorities have advised more than 1 million residents to evacuate, warning of potential landslides and other heavy rain-related disasters, the Fire and Disaster Management Agency said.
Officials in Kyoto and Osaka said water levels in rivers were rising and warned that vigilance was required because of the threat of flooding.
