A strong typhoon was moving in waters south of the Japanese archipelago Monday and expected to come close to Japan's main island of Honshu within two days, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.
Typhoon Wipha, the 26th typhoon of the year, was traveling north-northwest at a speed of 25 km per hour southeast of Minamidaito Island in Okinawa Prefecture on Monday evening, the agency said.
As of 6 p.m., the typhoon had an atmospheric pressure at its center of 930 hectopascals and was packing winds of up to 234 km per hour.
The typhoon is likely to approach Honshu sometime between Tuesday evening and Wednesday, said the agency, which warned of strong wind, heavy rain and high waves in a large area from western through northern Japan.
Some areas in eastern and western Japan are expected on Tuesday to be hit by thunderstorms and torrential rainfall of more than 50 millimeters per hour.
The typhoon is expected to bring 200 mm of rainfall to the Tokai region and 150 mm to the Kinki region, while the Izu Islands south of Tokyo could receive 100 mm of rainfall, the agency said.
Heavy rain is likely to continue through Wednesday in wide areas in western and northern Japan.