TOKYO - The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News.
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Highest heavy rain warning issued in Fukui, central Japan, mudslides reported
TOKYO - Japan's weather agency issued Sunday a special heavy rain warning for some areas in Fukui Prefecture, central Japan, and around 400,000 people have been urged to take emergency safety measures amid reports of mudslides and vehicles stranded on flooded roads.
The Level 5 warning, the highest for heavy rain, was issued for the cities of Fukui, Ono and Katsuyama, indicating that a disaster has likely occurred or is imminent. The Japan Meteorological Agency later lowered it to Level 4, but it still means residents should evacuate from affected areas.
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N. Korea replaces defense minister in military reshuffle: official media
TOKYO - North Korea has replaced the country's defense minister at a meeting guided by leader Kim Jong Un, state-run media reported Sunday.
Kim Song Gi, director of the General Political Bureau of the Korean People's Army, was appointed as minister of National Defense of the nation, replacing No Kwang Chol, according to the official Korean Central News Agency.
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Countries gear up to create lunar standard time amid global race on Moon
TOKYO - Countries are gearing up to establish a unified lunar time standard, with a key international conference in Paris set to take up the issue amid a global race to establish a presence on the Moon.
Member states will try to work it out at the plenary meeting of the General Conference on Weights and Measures, which decides global measurement standards, as operations including the construction of a permanent base and lunar navigation are expected to be in full swing from around 2030.
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10 briefly trapped inside ride in Legoland theme park
NAGOYA - Around 10 people were briefly trapped inside a ride at Legoland Japan theme park in Nagoya on Sunday after the doors of the attraction failed to open, park officials said.
Local authorities later said the 10, who were stuck inside the Submarine Adventure attraction, were rescued. None complained of feeling unwell or was taken to hospital.
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Sumo: Onosato focuses on Autumn meet after injury-hampered summer tour
TOKYO - Yokozuna Onosato said he "managed to get through" the 28-day summer sumo tour as it wrapped up Sunday in Tachikawa, western Tokyo, despite problems with his troublesome left shoulder limiting his participation.
The 26-year-old grand champion turns his focus to next month's Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament in Tokyo, where he will aim for his sixth Emperor's Cup.
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Cat stationmaster gives hope to struggling Japan railway to draw visitors
CHIBA, Japan - A cat stationmaster at a local Japanese train station is drawing fans and boosting merchandise sales as the struggling railway operator banks on the feline's popularity to attract more tourists.
The female cat, tentatively named Nakano-san, found a home at Nakanocho Station in the port town of Choshi, Chiba Prefecture, near Tokyo, after being rescued by a staff member last October. Thin and suffering from a cold that kept her eyes closed, she gradually recovered and grew accustomed to people under the care of station personnel.
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Japan transport ship Kunisaki leaves for firefighting in Indonesia
HIROSHIMA - A Japan Self-Defense Forces transport ship left a port in the western Japanese prefecture of Hiroshima on Sunday for a mission to help Indonesia fight wildfires.
Following its departure from the Kure base, the Kunisaki, carrying three CH-47 helicopters, will travel to Indonesia in a week or two, in the first firefighting mission overseas by SDF personnel, the Japanese Defense Ministry said.
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Baseball: Dodgers postpone Ohtani's pitching return, impacting MVP bid
DETROIT - The Los Angeles Dodgers have put Shohei Ohtani's return to the mound on hold, but the two-way superstar may still pitch again this season, manager Dave Roberts said Saturday.
The postponement could impact Ohtani's bid for a fourth straight MVP award in what is viewed as a tight race for the National League honor with Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong.
