A powerful typhoon gathered strength Monday afternoon, bringing strong winds to Miyako and Ishigaki islands in Okinawa, the Meteorological Agency said.
Typhoon Aere, the season's 17th, was expected to pass over the region toward the East China Sea through Tuesday. Aere is a Marshallese word meaning "storm."
The agency warned of mudslides and swollen rivers as it expects heavy rain in parts of eastern and western Japan on Tuesday due to moist air from the typhoon.
At 9 p.m. Monday, the typhoon was about 100 km southeast of Ishigaki Island, moving west-northwest at a speed of 10 kph. It had an atmospheric pressure of 965 hectopascals, packing winds of up to 126 kph near its eye, the agency said.