A powerful typhoon barreled toward Japan’s Pacific coast on Monday, prompting urgent warnings of heavy rain, destructive winds and a heightened risk of landslides across the Kanto region and other parts of eastern Japan, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said.
Typhoon Dujuan was forecast to pass near the Tokyo metropolitan area later in the day, the agency said, raising concerns that conditions could deteriorate quickly. Authorities reported that heavy rain had already fallen on the Izu Islands and sections of the Pacific coastline, with some locations recording more than 300 mm (about 12 inches) since Saturday. The town of Oshima, situated roughly 110 km (68 miles) south of Tokyo in the Izu archipelago, received the JMA’s top-level landslide emergency warning.
The JMA cautioned that downpours could intensify from Monday afternoon as Dujuan approaches the Kanto region, which includes Tokyo and its surrounding prefectures. Officials warned that "linear rain bands" could develop over Kanto and central Japan. These narrow, concentrated ribbons of intense precipitation—an increasingly worrisome phenomenon in Japan in recent years—can deliver enormous amounts of rain over a small area for several hours, sharply increasing the chances of flash floods and other rain-driven disasters.
Local authorities and event organizers reacted swiftly. At the Asian Games in Aichi Prefecture, the equestrian eventing competition was postponed until Tuesday because of the storm threat. The national government also adjusted travel plans: Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi delayed her departure for New York and the U.N. General Assembly by about four hours, now scheduled to leave Tokyo at 11 p.m. JST (1500 GMT), citing the typhoon.
The JMA’s warnings highlighted multiple hazards: intense rainfall, powerful winds and the potential for landslides, particularly in hilly or mountainous terrain where saturated soils can give way. Emergency services across the region prepared for rapid response, and residents in vulnerable areas were urged to follow evacuation advisories and be ready to move to safer locations on short notice.
Japan’s emergency-alert mechanisms were activated in some affected areas to notify residents of imminent danger. The JMA and local governments advised the public to stay tuned to weather bulletins, refrain from unnecessary travel, secure loose outdoor items, and avoid rivers and slopes during the storm. Transport disruptions were anticipated, with the possibility of canceled or delayed flights, suspended ferry services—particularly to outlying islands like those in the Izu chain—and interruptions to rail and road networks in the path of the typhoon.
Meteorologists noted that this season’s extreme weather follows a global pattern of severe events, with unusually intense rainfall, flooding and tropical cyclones striking regions from East Asia to North America and Europe. Such episodes have put a spotlight on the mounting risks posed by climate change and the growing need for resilient infrastructure and disaster preparedness.
Dujuan’s approach brought back memories of past powerful typhoons that have inflicted serious damage in Japan, a country frequently visited by tropical cyclones during the Pacific typhoon season. The combination of densely populated urban centers, extensive coastal communities and mountainous inland regions makes Japan especially vulnerable to the compound effects of wind, coastal surge and heavy inland rainfall.
As the typhoon moved closer, local governments emphasized the importance of heeding official instructions. School closures, workplace adjustments and advisories for vulnerable populations were expected in areas forecast to experience the worst conditions. Volunteers, municipal crews and disaster-relief teams were placed on standby to assist with evacuations, road clearing and other emergency operations once conditions allowed.
While the precise track and intensity of Dujuan could shift, the immediate message from forecasters was clear: residents of the Kanto region and eastern Japan should prepare for rapidly changing, potentially hazardous weather, and take evacuation notices seriously if issued. The emphasis was on early action—moving before conditions deteriorated—to reduce the risk to life and property.
As the situation developed, authorities planned to monitor rainfall totals, river levels and landslide-prone slopes closely, issuing updates as new information became available. For now, communities from the Izu Islands to the Tokyo metropolitan area braced for a potentially severe storm episode, hoping that early warnings and preparedness efforts would limit harm.
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