the grounds at a school in tokush tokushima prefecture was inundated. authorities have advised residents in several places to evacuate to shelters. >> translator: the rain water came down from the mountainside. i am so worried. >> nangka has disrupted air traffic. airline operators have canceled flights mainly in western japan. weather officials are advising caution against landslides swollen rivers. they're also warning of storm surges as well as lightning and tornadoes. >>> japan's government has announced its 2030 greenhouse gas emissions target. a government task force on global warming reached the decision on friday. prime minister shinzo abe hailed the new target saying it's in line with international standards. >> translator: the government will make all-out effort to build a fair and effective framework to curb greenhouse gases that are serve all nations. >> the goal is equivalent to a cut of 25% from 2005 the previous reference year. 45 nations including china and the u.s. have already submitted their goals to china and the u.n. gene otani from

tokushima prefecture is also known for its noodles. the company created a new product by kneading power from the flowers into noodle dough. the orchid-flavored noodles have become a popular local specialty. >> translator: i think it's nice if more and more customers come to know that a maker in tokushima is producing this kind of noodle. >> reporter: orchids have become not just something to enjoy looking at. their flavor and scent are winning fans, too. >> translator: delicious. >> translator: it's good. >> reporter: the firm has used orchids to develop one new product after another. candy, wine cosmetics and cream. last year it logged total sales of $65 million, a record. >> konichi-wa. >> reporter: he is not finished innovating yet. he has even created a new downsized orchid for residents of cramps condominiums. the owners say they cannot afford to keep large vases or tall flowers on display. his solution was to select an orchid and combine it with a related product. the set fits into small spaces. he says it's best as a gift. >> tr

. >> reporter: takao lives in kamikatsu nestled in the mountains of tokushima prefecture. about 200 grow leaves in this area. 300 types in all. they are harvested according to color, shape, and size to meet exact standards. leaf production is overseen by an agri-business partly funded by the local government. this is the firm's president. demand for garnishing leaves fluctuates widely from season to season. it's his job to predict that demand. he talks to restaurant owners to monitor trends and visits markets to see what types of leaves are selling. based on his findings farmers select what to grow and when to ship. >> translator: there are people who want leaves and they offer proper prices. we need to find more of these people and keep offering quality products. >> reporter: the leaf business has its roots in a town crisis 30 years ago. cold weather had ruined the orange crop. the town's main industry. he works to help establish an alternative crop. one all the locals were familiar with. today the leaf farmers generate sales of more than $2 million. and their leaves are

it's produced here in tokushima. 70% of this prefecture is covered by forest.y of japan's forests have been neglected. kiyomi kondo has started a business that not only creates a unique product, but also replenishes the forest. >> translator: we need to thin the forest. but timber can't be sold or, rather, nobody will buy it. so i tried to create a business in wood paper. >> reporter: no one had cut timber this thin before. kondo had to develop the technology himself. thin doesn't mean weak. for added strength, japanese washi paper is pasted to the timber strips. this process transforms forest waste into a flexible wood paper. it's mainly used for wallpaper and other building materials, but kondo and his customers are finding new uses all the time. >> translator: this is a bag made of wood paper. the material can be sewn with thread. >> reporter: corsages are also popular. so are paper cranes. the wood grains add a warm texture. one international fashion designer came up with a novel use by making the material into a dress. wood paper is creating job opportunit