Wildfires spread towards northern Japan town

Flames from raging wildfires in northern Japan were spreading towards the centre of a town Friday, with authorities urging more than 2,500 people to evacuate their homes, media reports and the government said.

As of Friday morning, fires in the mountainous areas of Iwate region had burned over 400 hectares (988 acres) since breaking out two days ago, government spokesman Minoru Kihara told reporters.