Japan: Flood Warnings Issued for Northern Ibaraki as Heavy Rain Hits

The meteorological agency issued flood and heavy rain warnings for Japan's northern Ibaraki cities, including Kitaibaraki, Hitachi, and Takahagi, on Friday, May 1, urging residents to remain alert to flooding and rising rivers.

Nemophila flowers in eastern Japan

Nemophila flowers in eastern Japan

Nemophila flowers are in full bloom at Hitachi Seaside Park in Hitachinaka, Ibaraki Prefecture, eastern Japan, on April 18, 2026.

Nemophila flowers in eastern Japan

Nemophila flowers in eastern Japan

Nemophila flowers are in full bloom at Hitachi Seaside Park in Hitachinaka, Ibaraki Prefecture, eastern Japan, on April 18, 2026.

Nemophila flowers in eastern Japan

Nemophila flowers in eastern Japan

Nemophila flowers are in full bloom at Hitachi Seaside Park in Hitachinaka, Ibaraki Prefecture, eastern Japan, on April 18, 2026.

Nemophila flowers in eastern Japan

Nemophila flowers in eastern Japan

Nemophila flowers are in full bloom at Hitachi Seaside Park in Hitachinaka, Ibaraki Prefecture, eastern Japan, on April 18, 2026.

40,000 kochia carpet eastern Japan park

40,000 kochia carpet eastern Japan park

About 40,000 kochia carpet Hitachi Seaside Park, a popular tourist destination in Hitachinaka, Ibaraki Prefecture, eastern Japan, on Oct. 22, 2025.

40,000 kochia carpet eastern Japan park

40,000 kochia carpet eastern Japan park

About 40,000 kochia carpet Hitachi Seaside Park, a popular tourist destination in Hitachinaka, Ibaraki Prefecture, eastern Japan, on Oct. 22, 2025.

40,000 kochia carpet eastern Japan park

40,000 kochia carpet eastern Japan park

About 40,000 kochia carpet Hitachi Seaside Park, a popular tourist destination in Hitachinaka, Ibaraki Prefecture, eastern Japan, on Oct. 22, 2025.

40,000 kochia carpet eastern Japan park

40,000 kochia carpet eastern Japan park

About 40,000 kochia carpet Hitachi Seaside Park, a popular tourist destination in Hitachinaka, Ibaraki Prefecture, eastern Japan, on Oct. 22, 2025.

40,000 kochia carpet eastern Japan park

40,000 kochia carpet eastern Japan park

About 40,000 kochia carpet Hitachi Seaside Park, a popular tourist destination in Hitachinaka, Ibaraki Prefecture, eastern Japan, on Oct. 22, 2025.

40,000 kochia carpet eastern Japan park

40,000 kochia carpet eastern Japan park

About 40,000 kochia carpet Hitachi Seaside Park, a popular tourist destination in Hitachinaka, Ibaraki Prefecture, eastern Japan, on Oct. 22, 2025.

Illuminated kochia field in eastern Japan park

Illuminated kochia field in eastern Japan park

A field of kochia plants is lit up at Hitachi Seaside Park in Hitachinaka in Ibaraki Prefecture, eastern Japan, on Sept. 12, 2025, the first day of a special 12-day lighting event.

Illuminated kochia field in eastern Japan park

Illuminated kochia field in eastern Japan park

A field of kochia plants is lit up at Hitachi Seaside Park in Hitachinaka in Ibaraki Prefecture, eastern Japan, on Sept. 12, 2025, the first day of a special 12-day lighting event.

Japan: Pacific Coast Under Tsunami Warning After M8.8 Quake Off Kamchatka Peninsula 5

Sirens blared as a tsunami warning was issued for a wide area along Japan's Pacific coast after a magnitude 8.8 earthquake struck off Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula on Wednesday, July 30.

Japan: Pacific Coast Under Tsunami Advisory After Russia M8.0 Earthquake 2

Sirens blared as a tsunami warning was issued for a wide area along Japan's Pacific coast after a magnitude 8.0 earthquake struck off Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula on Wednesday, July 30. This video shows an evacuation announcement near a beach in Hitachi, Ibaraki Prefecture, urging residents to evacuate.

Nemophila flowers in eastern Japan

Nemophila flowers in eastern Japan

Nemophila flowers are in full bloom at Hitachi Seaside Park in Hitachinaka, Ibaraki Prefecture, eastern Japan, on April 26, 2025.

Nemophila flowers in eastern Japan

Nemophila flowers in eastern Japan

Nemophila flowers are in full bloom at Hitachi Seaside Park in Hitachinaka, Ibaraki Prefecture, eastern Japan, on April 26, 2025.

Nemophila flowers in eastern Japan

Nemophila flowers in eastern Japan

Nemophila flowers are in full bloom at Hitachi Seaside Park in Hitachinaka, Ibaraki Prefecture, eastern Japan, on April 26, 2025.

Nemophila flowers in eastern Japan

Nemophila flowers in eastern Japan

Nemophila flowers are in full bloom at Hitachi Seaside Park in Hitachinaka, Ibaraki Prefecture, eastern Japan, on April 26, 2025.

Huge image of snake laid out in Ibaraki Pref. park

Huge image of snake laid out in Ibaraki Pref. park

A huge image of a snake made from pine cones and kochia is pictured on Dec. 21, 2024, from a Ferris wheel in Hitachi Seaside Park in Hitachinaka, Ibaraki Prefecture, eastern Japan, ahead of the 2025 year of the snake in the Chinese zodiac.

40,000 kochia carpet park

40,000 kochia carpet park

Photo taken on Oct. 19, 2024, shows 40,000 autumn kochia forming a red carpet at the 215-hectare Hitachi Seaside Park, a popular tourist destination in Hitachinaka, Ibaraki Prefecture, eastern Japan.

40,000 kochia carpet park

40,000 kochia carpet park

Photo taken on Oct. 19, 2024, shows 40,000 autumn kochia forming a red carpet at the 215-hectare Hitachi Seaside Park, a popular tourist destination in Hitachinaka, Ibaraki Prefecture, eastern Japan.

40,000 kochia carpet park

40,000 kochia carpet park

Photo taken on Oct. 19, 2024, shows 40,000 autumn kochia forming a red carpet at the 215-hectare Hitachi Seaside Park, a popular tourist destination in Hitachinaka, Ibaraki Prefecture, eastern Japan.

Illuminated kochia field in eastern Japan park

Illuminated kochia field in eastern Japan park

A field of kochia plants is lit up in various colors for the media at Hitachi Seaside Park in Hitachinaka in Ibaraki Prefecture, eastern Japan, on Sept. 18, 2024, ahead of its special 10-day lighting event starting Sept. 27.

Illuminated kochia field in eastern Japan park

Illuminated kochia field in eastern Japan park

A field of kochia plants is lit up in various colors for the media at Hitachi Seaside Park in Hitachinaka in Ibaraki Prefecture, eastern Japan, on Sept. 18, 2024, ahead of its special 10-day lighting event starting Sept. 27.

[Breaking News] Nemophila flowers in eastern Japan

HITACHINAKA, Japan, April 18 Kyodo - Nemophila flowers are in full bloom at Hitachi Seaside Park in Hitachinaka, Ibaraki Prefecture, eastern Japan, on April 18, 2024. (Kyodo)

Nemophila flowers in eastern Japan

Nemophila flowers in eastern Japan

Nemophila flowers are in full bloom at Hitachi Seaside Park in Hitachinaka, Ibaraki Prefecture, eastern Japan, on April 18, 2024.

Nemophila flowers in eastern Japan

Nemophila flowers in eastern Japan

Nemophila flowers are in full bloom at Hitachi Seaside Park in Hitachinaka, Ibaraki Prefecture, eastern Japan, on April 18, 2024.

S. Korea top court upholds wartime labor rulings against Japan firms

S. Korea top court upholds wartime labor rulings against Japan firms

Plaintiffs and others celebrate in Seoul on Dec. 28, 2023, after South Korea's Supreme Court upheld decisions by lower courts ordering Japanese companies Hitachi Zosen Corp. and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. to pay the plaintiffs damages over wartime labor.

Huge image of dragon laid out in Ibaraki Pref. park

Huge image of dragon laid out in Ibaraki Pref. park

A huge image of a dragon, made of pine cones and Kochia, is pictured on Dec. 21, 2023, from a Ferris wheel in Hitachi Seaside Park in Hitachinaka, Ibaraki Prefecture, eastern Japan, ahead of the 2024 year of the dragon in the Chinese zodiac.

Japan's Prince Hitachi at art exhibit

Japan's Prince Hitachi at art exhibit

Japan's Prince Hitachi (C) visits an art and photo exhibition hosted by the Japanese Society for Disabled Children in Tokyo on Dec. 13, 2023. (Pool photo)

Japan's Prince Hitachi at art exhibit

Japan's Prince Hitachi at art exhibit

Japan's Prince Hitachi visits an art and photo exhibition hosted by the Japanese Society for Disabled Children in Tokyo on Dec. 13, 2023. (Pool photo)

Japan Prince Hitachi

Japan Prince Hitachi

Japanese Prince Hitachi attends a ceremony recognizing people and organizations for their contributions to the silk thread industry in Tokyo on Nov. 1, 2023.

Japan Prince Hitachi

Japan Prince Hitachi

Japanese Prince Hitachi attends a ceremony recognizing people and organizations for their contributions to the silk thread industry in Tokyo on Nov. 1, 2023.

Reddening Kochia plants at eastern Japan park

Reddening Kochia plants at eastern Japan park

Photo taken on Oct. 19, 2023, shows reddening Kochia plants at Hitachi Seaside Park in Hitachinaka, Ibaraki Prefecture, eastern Japan.

Reddening Kochia plants at eastern Japan park

Reddening Kochia plants at eastern Japan park

Photo taken on Oct. 19, 2023, shows reddening Kochia plants at Hitachi Seaside Park in Hitachinaka, Ibaraki Prefecture, eastern Japan.

Illuminated kochia field at eastern Japan park

Illuminated kochia field at eastern Japan park

A field of kochia plants is lit up in the colors of the rainbow at Hitachi Seaside Park in Ibaraki Prefecture, eastern Japan, on Sept. 6, 2023, ahead of its special lighting event starting two days later.

Illuminated kochia field at eastern Japan park

Illuminated kochia field at eastern Japan park

A field of kochia plants is lit up in the colors of the rainbow at Hitachi Seaside Park in Ibaraki Prefecture, eastern Japan, on Sept. 6, 2023, ahead of its special lighting event starting two days later.

Japanese Prince Hitachi at award ceremony

Japanese Prince Hitachi at award ceremony

Japanese Prince Hitachi attends an award ceremony held by the Japan Institute of Invention and Innovation in Tokyo on June 12, 2023.

Japanese Prince Hitachi at award ceremony

Japanese Prince Hitachi at award ceremony

Japanese Prince Hitachi (in wheelchair) attends an award ceremony held by the Japan Institute of Invention and Innovation in Tokyo on June 12, 2023.

Japanese Prince Hitachi at award ceremony

Japanese Prince Hitachi at award ceremony

Japanese Prince Hitachi attends an award ceremony held by the Japan Institute of Invention and Innovation in Tokyo on June 12, 2023.

Nemophila flowers at seaside park in Japan

Nemophila flowers at seaside park in Japan

Nemophila flowers bloom at Hitachi Seaside Park in Hitachinaka, Ibaraki Prefecture, eastern Japan, on April 14, 2023.

Nemophila flowers at seaside park in Japan

Nemophila flowers at seaside park in Japan

Nemophila flowers bloom at Hitachi Seaside Park in Hitachinaka, Ibaraki Prefecture, eastern Japan, on April 14, 2023.

Nemophila flowers at seaside park in Japan

Nemophila flowers at seaside park in Japan

Nemophila flowers bloom at Hitachi Seaside Park in Hitachinaka, Ibaraki Prefecture, eastern Japan, on April 14, 2023.

Nemophila flowers at seaside park in Japan

Nemophila flowers at seaside park in Japan

Nemophila flowers bloom at Hitachi Seaside Park in Hitachinaka, Ibaraki Prefecture, eastern Japan, on April 14, 2023.

Baseball: Ex-Hawks player Masago

Baseball: Ex-Hawks player Masago

Former SoftBank Hawks outfielder Yusuke Masago poses for a photo in Hitachi, Ibaraki Prefecture, eastern Japan, on Feb. 13, 2023. Masago, born to a Japanese mother and Chinese father, will represent China in this year's World Baseball Classic.

Baseball: Ex-Hawks player Masago

Baseball: Ex-Hawks player Masago

Former SoftBank Hawks outfielder Yusuke Masago poses for a photo in Hitachi, Ibaraki Prefecture, eastern Japan, on Feb. 13, 2023. Masago, born to a Japanese mother and Chinese father, will represent China in this year's World Baseball Classic.

Hitachi to roll out world's 1st Blu-ray disc video camera

Hitachi to roll out world's 1st Blu-ray disc video camera

TOKYO, Japan - Hitachi Ltd. will put the world's first Blu-ray disc digital video cameras (photo) on sale on the domestic market Aug. 30 and on overseas markets in October. The video cameras are capable of recording full high-definition video on an 8-centimeter Blu-ray disc which has five times more recording capacity than a regular DVD.

Train cars shipped for British high-speed railway

Train cars shipped for British high-speed railway

FUKUOKA, Japan - Photo taken Jan. 7, 2015, in the western Japan city of Kudamatsu shows train cars destined for Britain's high-speed railway system. The train cars, built by Hitachi Ltd., were shipped the same day and will arrive in Britain in mid-March for trial runs starting in April.

Hitachi aims to expand train business via acquisitions

Hitachi aims to expand train business via acquisitions

TOKYO, Japan - Hitachi Ltd. President Toshiaki Higashihara is interviewed in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward on Dec. 17, 2014. Higashihara said that the Japanese electric machinery maker aims to strengthen its railway-related business through overseas acquisitions.