A strong typhoon is approaching eastern Japan, prompting the weather agency to warn Tuesday of heavy rain, strong winds and high waves even before it reaches coastal areas in about two days.
Typhoon Shanshan was moving toward the Izu island chain, south of Tokyo, on Tuesday and is expected to come very close to eastern areas facing the Pacific by Thursday.
As of 6 p.m. Tuesday, the season's 13th typhoon was about 390 kilometers east-southeast of Hachijo Island and moving at a speed of about 20 kph north-northwest, according to the Meteorological Agency.
Intense rain is forecast on the Pacific side of eastern and northeastern Japan on Wednesday and Thursday due to the storm.
All Nippon Airways Co. canceled six flights scheduled for Wednesday between Tokyo's Haneda airport and Hachijo Island. Jetstar Japan canceled 19 Wednesday flights across the country.
In the 24-hour period through Wednesday afternoon, 150 millimeters of rain may fall in eastern and central Japan, with a further downpour of up to 400 mm predicted in the following 24 hours.
On Thursday, the typhoon is expected to move north along the Pacific coast of northeastern Japan.
