TOKYO: Japan’s weather agency has warned of landslides and flooding in areas spanning Japan’s western to northern coasts over the next several days, with a typhoon possibly making landfall near Tokyo early next week.
Typhoon Dujuan was moving north-west at a speed of 15kmh south of the main island of Honshu by mid-afternoon on Sept 19, with an atmospheric pressure of 975 hectopascals at its centre and maximum gusts of 162kmh, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.
The typhoon may make landfall on the Boso peninsula in Chiba prefecture, east of Tokyo, on Sept 21, two days into Japan’s five-day holiday period.
It is expected to bring heavy rain, strong winds and high waves, and increase the risks of flooding in low-lying areas.
JR East advised that train services in some areas in Chiba and other prefectures may be suspended from late on Sept 20 through Sept 21 due to the typhoon.
Rainfall in the 24 hours through noon on Sept 20 is forecast to reach 150mm in the Izu islands south of Tokyo in the Pacific and in the Kanto-Koshin region, which includes Tokyo, and 60mm in the north-eastern Tohoku and central Tokai regions.
Meanwhile, The Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games began on Saturday, with Japan hosting the continental summer games for the first time since 1994 and welcoming 45 countries and regions competing in 43 sports, Kyodo News reported.
Qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics is at stake in sports including hockey, surfing and squash at the Games held in Nagoya and other cities in Aichi Prefecture, neighbouring Shizuoka and Gifu prefectures, as well as Tokyo and Osaka.
More than 17,000 athletes and officials are taking part in the quadrennial Games, according to the Olympic Council of Asia. Japan has sent its largest-ever contingent of 932 athletes, aiming to surpass its record of 78 gold medals set at the 1966 Games in Bangkok.
Non-Olympic sports such as sepak takraw and kabaddi are featured alongside esports as Japan hosts the Games for the third time, following Tokyo in 1958 and Hiroshima in 1994.
Rising costs and an increase in the number of sports and athletes have posed challenges for the local organising committee since Aichi Prefecture and its capital, Nagoya, were named hosts of the 2026 Games a decade ago.
Soaring prices have pushed the original estimated cost of 100 billion yen (US$637 million) for the Asian Games and Asian Para Games combined to more than 370 billion yen, with the government providing 13.6 billion yen in subsidies after enacting special measures. -- BERNAMA-KYODO
