In Kagoshima’s Aira city, a mudslide buried two people who were rescued and hospitalised, according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency.
Evacuation advisories were issued to more than 360,000 residents in Kagoshima and neighbouring Miyazaki. Television footage showed swollen rivers and knee-deep water at a shopping mall in Kirishima.
Transport was heavily disrupted, with trains, buses and dozens of flights cancelled.
The Japan Meteorological Agency forecast further rain and thunderstorms. Authorities warned that there is a growing risk of disaster, and urged residents in the region to take early precautions.
