Firefighters say wildfires in a town in Iwate Prefecture, northeastern Japan, appeared to be weakening after the first rainfall since they broke out last week, but added there is still no prospect of containment. A local weather observatory says Otsuchi Town received 1.5 millimeters of rain Monday afternoon. A further 20 millimeters is forecast for Tuesday.More than a thousand firefighters and Self-Defense Force members are scheduled to be mobilized on Tuesday, supported by helicopters. The fires started in Otsuchi town’s Kozuchi district and Kirikiri district, about 10 kilometers to the southeast, last Wednesday.
A crucial meeting on global nuclear disarmament starts at UN headquarters in New York on Monday. The review conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, or NPT, has been closely watched by atomic bomb survivors, or hibakusha and nuclear experts around the globe. This year, it’s drawing special attention due to the conflicts in Ukraine, Iran and other regions, which have heightened the risk of countries using nuclear weapons. The focus is on whether participants will be able to adopt a final document.
Surplus funds from the 2025 World Expo in Osaka, western Japan, are expected to be used in three areas, including development of the event site. The Expo drew more than 25 million visitors. Up to 37 billion yen, or about 230 million dollars, in surplus is expected from operating the event. Japan’s industry ministry, the Osaka Prefectural Government and others held an expert panel meeting on Monday to review the Expo’s results. A draft report was presented outlining plans to use the surplus to “pass down the legacy” of the event.