Japanese prosecutors raided the headquarters of Olympus today, amid an investigation into dubious accounting and a cover-up of massive losses at the camera giant.

Heavy rains and mudslides from powerful Typhoon Talas have killed at least 15 people in Japan as the storm moved north today past the country’s western coast.

Three Japanese have been taken hostage by insurgents in Iraq who have threatened to kill them if Japan does not withdraw its troops from Iraq, reports said today.