Japan warns people over powerful typhoon

A powerful typhoon ripped through Japan's mainland on Monday, with torrential rain and strong winds lashing a wide portion of the country, Japan's news Agency (Kyodo) reported. The Japan Meteorological Agency warned of "unprecedented heavy rain" and issued a "special warning" in three western Japan prefectures of Fukui, Kyoto and Shiga, in the first such issuance since the warning system was introduced late last month. The special warnings were all lifted before noon. Local authorities issued evacuation orders to a total of nearly 400,000 residents in Kyoto, Shiga, Hyogo and Mie prefectures.