Heavy rain continued to pound western Japan on Sunday, temporarily halting bullet train services between Hiroshima and Hakata stations on the Sanyo Shinkansen line.

According to West Japan Railway Co., services were suspended from around 8:30 a.m. The section between Hiroshima and Kokura, which is a stop away from Hakata, did not resume operation until 1 p.m.

The Japan Meteorological Agency is warning of landslides and flooding in Yamaguchi and nearby prefectures, with heavy precipitation expected in western and eastern regions in the coming days due to a rainy season front lingering over the country.

Until 11 a.m., hourly rainfall in Kurume, Fukuoka Prefecture, registered 65 millimeters, while that in Oda, Shimane Prefecture, stood at 62.5 mm and that in Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture, at 55 mm.

==Kyodo

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