Japan braces as super typhoon Vongfong powers north

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan was bracing on Friday for its strongest storm this year, a super typhoon powering north towards the Okinawa island chain that threatens to rake a wide swathe of the nation with strong winds and torrential rain.

Typhoon Vongfong, which at one point rivalled last year's devastating Haiyan in strength, was weakening slightly as it moved across the open ocean, but still packed winds gusting as high as 259 kph (160 mph).