NHK WORLD RADIO JAPAN - English News at 04:30 (JST), September 28

Record Rainfall Hits Northern Kyushu as Typhoon Sriji Approaches Okinawa

An autumn rain front has left the atmosphere extremely unstable across western Japan, unleashing record rainfall centered on northern Kyushu. The city of Omuta in Fukuoka Prefecture recorded roughly 281 millimeters of rain in the 24 hours to 2 p.m. on Sunday — the highest September total since records began. In Tamana, Kumamoto Prefecture, a man fell into a swollen river and was swept away; his death was later confirmed. Unsettled weather is expected to persist from northern to western Japan into Monday.

At the same time, Typhoon Sriji has been rapidly gaining strength and is forecast to approach Okinawa Prefecture and the Amami region of Kagoshima Prefecture through Tuesday. Okinawa is already being battered by strong winds — Nanjo City recorded a maximum instantaneous wind speed of more than 87 kilometers per hour just before 5 p.m. on Sunday. The Japan Meteorological Agency is urging residents to remain on high alert for gusts and landslides.

Asian Games Dogged by Operational Failures

The Asian Games, the quadrennial pan-Asian sporting event often called "Asia's Olympics," are underway in Aichi-Nagoya with 45 countries and regions participating, but organizational problems have mounted since before the opening ceremony. The Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games Organizing Committee unveiled container-house accommodation for athletes, but the facility — which houses around 2,000 people — has drawn complaints that rooms are too small and beds too cramped.

Criticism from overseas media began well before the Games opened. The North Korean national anthem was mistakenly played at a moment that called for South Korea's anthem, and bus scheduling errors and delays forced the cancellation of practice matches. Experts have pointed out that local government officials — working with a limited budget and without bringing in contractors experienced in running international events — lacked the necessary know-how. The director-general of the Japan Sports Agency said, "It is only natural that problems like this arise. I believe that by the time the Games are over, many people will feel glad they took part." The Asian Games run through October 4.

As part of the Games' cultural program, Nagoya also hosted an international pair-Go (paired Go) tournament. Top players from Japan, China, South Korea, and Taiwan competed; the final was contested between a Taiwanese pair and a Japanese pair, with Taiwan resigning and the Japanese pair claiming victory. "The appeal of pair Go is predicting the moves of the other three players. How well a team can synchronize determines the outcome," the winning pair said. A commemorative match was subsequently held between Japanese players and the AI Go program KataGo, with the human-AI pair winning.

JAMSTEC Develops AI System to Detect Seafloor Litter

The Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) has developed an AI-powered system capable of detecting plastic and other debris that has sunk to the seabed. JAMSTEC has been surveying the seafloor around Japan for more than 40 years using unmanned submersibles. Researchers extracted and analyzed more than 12,000 images from decades of deep-sea footage, training a computer to recognize the characteristics of plastic waste. The system can identify and count debris ranging from 2 centimeters to 1 meter in size. "Plastic does not break down; it remains on the seafloor indefinitely, posing a long-term environmental threat. This system will dramatically improve the efficiency of detection," a researcher explained.

Kumamoto Earthquake Volunteers, Bangkok Floods, and Nepal's Festival

Volunteer centers serving communities hit by July's Kumamoto earthquake are struggling to secure enough helpers. The city of Yatsushiro recorded a maximum seismic intensity of lower-6 during the quake. Since a center was established in August, roughly 8,700 volunteers have cleaned houses and removed damaged furniture, but on some days attendance drops by nearly half. Around 200 volunteers showed up on Sunday; at one home where five of them worked, a resident said, "Both my wife and I are too old to do this kind of work ourselves. We are truly grateful."

Bangkok has been experiencing widespread flooding caused by heavy rain from an active low-pressure system combined with strong monsoon winds. About 300 millimeters of rain fell in the 48 hours from Thursday, cutting off roads. Around 52,000 households have been affected and approximately 4,200 people are sheltering in temporary evacuation centers. Authorities say rainfall may ease in some areas from Sunday onward, but warn that low-lying zones should remain on guard.

In Kathmandu, Nepal, crowds gathered for the annual Indra Jatra festival, at which the living goddess Kumari makes a ceremonial procession. This year's celebrations come in the immediate aftermath of floods and landslides near the border with China. Authorities report that 1,453 people have been killed across Nepal, more than 5,500 remain missing, and over 80,000 have been affected, with many still displaced. "I am praying for the peace, happiness, and unity of the people — that they may overcome this difficult situation," one festival-goer said.