Typhoon Dujuan Bears Down on Japan's East Coast, Disrupting Transport and Events
Bbc · 2 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
Typhoon Dujuan, the 25th typhoon of the year, is barrelling towards Japan's eastern coast, prompting widespread disruption to transportation and major events during a five-day holiday period. The Japan Meteorological Agency has warned of record rainfall, flooding and landslides as the storm approaches the Boso Peninsula in Chiba Prefecture. The typhoon has already forced the cancellation of concerts at the Rock in Japan festival and Monday's programme at the Tokyo Game Show, while the opening ceremony of the Asian Games in Aichi Prefecture saw noticeably empty stadium seats due to typhoon concerns.
Key Points
- Typhoon Dujuan was located about 100 km west-southwest of Hachijo Island at 10 a.m. local time on Monday, moving north at 25 km/h with maximum gusts of 198 kph
- The storm has a central atmospheric pressure of 960 hectopascals and is expected to pass near the Boso Peninsula in Chiba Prefecture from Monday evening to late evening
- All Nippon Airways has grounded flights to and from Hachijo Island, while JR East has suspended some rail services in Chiba Prefecture
- Up to 350mm of rainfall is forecast for the Tokai region, 300mm for the Kanto region and Izu Islands, and 200mm for Tohoku through Tuesday morning
- Multiple cities in Chiba have reported road inundation, and the weather agency has issued a level 4 landslide alert for parts of the prefecture
Why It Matters
The timing of Typhoon Dujuan during Japan's five-day holiday period maximises its economic and social impact, affecting tourism, transport and major cultural events. The JMA's warning of record rainfall and potential severe flooding in low-lying areas, combined with the level 4 landslide alert in Chiba, indicates a significant threat to public safety that could require extensive emergency response operations .
The timing of Typhoon Dujuan during Japan's five-day holiday period maximises its economic and social impact, affecting tourism, transport and major cultural events. The JMA's warning of record rainfall and potential severe flooding in low-lying areas, combined with the level 4 landslide alert in Chiba, indicates a significant threat to public safety that could require extensive emergency response operations .