August 15, Thursday, 2024

1. Typhoon Ampil is continuing to strengthen as it moves north. It is likely to approach the Kanto and Tohoku regions in eastern and northern Japan from Friday through Saturday. Weather officials are warning that bands of heavy rain clouds could develop over the Kanto region, Izu Islands and Yamanashi Prefecture, sharply increasing the risk of disasters. They are also urging caution against high waves and landslides.
2. Many people in Japan have been looking forward to traveling this weekend for the traditional summer holidays. But the weather is throwing a kink into their plans. The Central Japan Railway Company, JR Central, says it will cancel all services on the Tokaido Shinkansen bullet train line between Tokyo and Nagoya for the entire day Friday. 3. Japan has remembered approximately 3.1 million war dead in ceremonies across the nation as the country marks the 79 years since the end of World War Two. On August 15, 1945, Emperor Showa gave a recorded radio address announcing the country’s surrender.