Japan's weather agency has warned of heavy rain, strong gusts of wind and high waves as a strong typhoon is expected to travel very close to the country's eastern and northeastern coastal areas from late Wednesday to Thursday afternoon.
Typhoon Shanshan could linger longer than usual on the Japanese archipelago as it is slow moving — almost at the speed of a bicycle — which means more downpours for longer periods of time in affected areas.
The season's 13th typhoon could make landfall early Thursday as it moves northward along the coastal areas of Chiba and Ibaraki prefectures, according to the Meteorological Agency.
The typhoon and an area of rain north of it are forecast to move northward along the Pacific coast, bringing heavy rain to Hokkaido on Thursday.
As of 9 p.m. Wednesday, the storm was about 120 kilometers southeast of Katsuura, Chiba Prefecture, and traveling north at a speed of 10 kph.
The typhoon was packing gusts of up to 126 kph near its center, with the areas within a radius of 70 km falling into a storm zone, according to the agency.
In the 24-hour period through Thursday evening, 300 mm of rain is expected in the Kanto region, which includes Tokyo, 200 mm in the northeastern region of Tohoku and 120 mm in the central region.
In Hitachinaka, Ibaraki Prefecture, an 82-year-old woman was knocked over by the wind and broke her left leg. The municipal government of Mobara, Chiba Prefecture, issued an evacuation advisory to its residents Wednesday afternoon.
On Wednesday, Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways Co. canceled a total of more than 90 flights to and from Tokyo's Haneda airport and Narita airport near the capital.
East Japan Railway Co. reduced train services in the greater Tokyo area. Tobu railway suspended some express trains.
