TYPHOON DUJUAN BATTERS JAPAN, KILLS TWO AND DISRUPTS AIR TRAVEL

Typhoon Dujuan has caused deaths, flooding and landslides in parts of Japan after bringing torrential rain and strong winds to areas around Tokyo. At least two people were confirmed dead after landslides in Chiba and Kanagawa prefectures, while more than 1.6 million residents in and around the capital were advised to evacuate. The evacuations were not mandatory, but authorities issued warnings as the storm created dangerous conditions across several communities. 

The typhoon was producing winds of about 144 kilometres per hour on Monday as it moved roughly 130 kilometres south of Katsuura City near Tokyo. By early Tuesday, the Japan Meteorological Agency said the storm had moved away from the coast and was heading northeast over the sea, with its winds gradually weakening. However, the agency warned that heavy rainfall could continue in some areas as the storm moved north, while landslide warnings remained in effect in parts of Tokyo, Chiba, Kanagawa and Shizuoka.

Dujuan also caused major disruption to air and rail transportation. Japan Airlines cancelled 135 flights, while All Nippon Airways cancelled another 140, bringing the reported number of cancelled flights to 275. More than 9,000 households near Tokyo were initially left without electricity, while railway operators suspended services on some routes, including sections of the network serving the Tokyo region. The storm also affected other public activities, forcing the early closure of the Tokyo Game Show and the cancellation of a music festival and baseball game in Chiba.

Flooding was reported in several locations, including roads around Kamakura Station, a popular tourist destination, and parts of Ichikawa city east of Tokyo. Kamakura Mayor Takashi Matsuo warned residents that flooding had made travelling by car dangerous. The weather agency had earlier warned that rainfall through Tuesday could exceed the average rainfall for September, raising the possibility of exceptionally heavy rain in some parts of the country.

The storm also left communities dealing with power outages and damage as emergency services responded to flooding and landslides. Japan frequently experiences strong typhoons during late summer and early autumn, and Dujuan is the latest storm to disrupt activities in the country, including events linked to the Asian Games. Although the typhoon was moving away and weakening on Tuesday, authorities continued to warn residents in affected areas to remain alert to further rain, flooding and landslide risks.