Typhoon Dujuan is expected to approach the Tokyo metropolitan area this afternoon and overnight. Heavy rainfall is likely in Tokyo and Chiba, and the storm will also affect Nagoya, where the Asian Games are being held. Some regions have already received more rain than the average for the entire month of September, leading to at least 275 flight cancellations and disruptions in train services.
According to Japan's public broadcaster NHK, as of 9 a.m. on September 21, Dujuan was located about 150 kilometers southwest of Hachijo-jima, an island in the Izu Islands, moving north-northeast at 20 kilometers per hour. Hachijo-jima is approximately 290 kilometers south of central Tokyo. The central pressure of the typhoon is 965 hPa, with maximum sustained winds of 35 meters per second and gusts reaching 50 meters per second. Winds exceeding 25 meters per second are affecting areas within a 185-kilometer radius of the center.
Hachijo-jima is already within the storm's radius. The airport there recorded maximum gusts of 37 meters per second over a three-hour period until 8 a.m. By that time, Izu Oshima had received 418 mm of rain over the past 48 hours, while Kimitatsu in Chiba Prefecture recorded 305.5 mm and Mobara City received 246 mm, all exceeding the average rainfall for September. A landslide warning at level 4 has been issued for parts of the Izu Islands and Chiba Prefecture, along with a heavy rain warning for Chiba. A similar flood risk warning has been issued for the Zenpukuji River in Tokyo.
The typhoon is expected to maintain its strength as it approaches the Izu Islands and the Kanto and Koshin regions from this afternoon into late evening. Kanto includes the Tokyo metropolitan area and the prefectures of Chiba, Saitama, and Kanagawa, while Koshin refers to the western inland areas of Yamanashi and Nagano. Heavy rain accompanied by thunderstorms is forecasted for the Tokai region centered around Kanto and Nagoya, with some areas potentially experiencing rainfall of up to 80 mm per hour.
The Japan Meteorological Agency has warned that heavy rain bands may form in the Kanto, Koshin, and Tokai regions from this afternoon into the night. These bands occur when developed rain clouds create a continuous line, resulting in prolonged heavy rainfall in the same area. Shizuoka Prefecture may experience this phenomenon until late afternoon, while Kanagawa, Yamanashi, and the Izu Islands could see it until early evening. The risk will continue into late evening for central Tokyo, western suburbs, Chiba, and Saitama, and from afternoon to late evening in Ibaraki Prefecture.
Over the next 24 hours, rainfall is expected to reach up to 350 mm in Tokai, 300 mm in Kanto and the Izu Islands, and 200 mm in Tohoku by 6 a.m. on September 22. Maximum sustained winds of 23 meters per second and gusts of 35 meters per second are anticipated on land in Kanto. In the Kanto and Tokai seas, maximum sustained winds could reach 30 meters per second, with gusts up to 45 meters per second, while the Izu Islands may see winds of 35 meters per second and gusts of 50 meters per second. Wave heights are forecasted to reach 9 meters in the Izu Islands, 8 meters in Kanto, and 7 meters in Tokai.
Transportation services are also facing disruptions. According to the Asahi Shimbun, Japan Airlines (JAL) canceled 120 domestic flights and 15 international flights as of 8 a.m., while All Nippon Airways (ANA) canceled 140 domestic flights by 9:30 a.m. Combined, these cancellations have stranded approximately 42,000 passengers.
JR East has suspended operations on certain sections of the Sobu, Uchibo, and Sotobo lines in Chiba Prefecture, with no set date for resumption. The Yomiuri Shimbun reported that express trains on the Uchibo and Sotobo lines will not operate all day, and some lines may remain suspended from the first train on September 22. The Chuo Expressway operator has indicated that parts of the Tomei Expressway and Chuo Expressway may be closed.
Tourist facilities are also closing. The Nikkei reported that Tokyo has temporarily closed Ueno Zoo and Hamarikyu Gardens for the day. The large aquarium Kamogawa Sea World in Chiba Prefecture has also closed temporarily.
The Meteorological Agency has urged caution against landslides, flooding in low-lying areas, river overflows, strong winds, and high waves. NHK has advised people to avoid going out during periods of heavy rain and to stay in safe locations. It noted that if more than 50 mm of rain falls in an hour in urban areas, drainage systems may become overwhelmed, leading to flooding even in areas away from rivers. The agency emphasized avoiding underground passages, citing a recent incident where a man died in a submerged underpass during heavy rains in Chiba Prefecture last month.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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