Heavy rain pounds Sea of Japan coast, local politician dies

Torrential rain hit regions facing the Sea of Japan from late Wednesday, causing mudslides and leaving a city assembly member dead in Toyama Prefecture.Ishikawa Prefecture logged a record 6-hour rainfall total of 199 millimeters during the night in Kahoku, while Toyama Prefecture registered a downpour of 170.5 mm in Kamiichi, another record high.The prefectures saw linear rain bands, known to bring heavy downpours, develop Wednesday night due to the seasonal rain front situated over the Japanese archipelago.The body of Nobuhiko Akaike, a member of the Nanto assembly, was found Thursday at t…READ FULL ARTICLE