Typhoon Dujuan prompts flood and landslide warnings in Japan

A powerful tropical cyclone named Dujuan is moving toward Japan’s Pacific coast, with forecasts indicating that it will pass close to the Tokyo metropolitan area later on Monday. The storm is bringing strong winds and torrential rain to eastern Japan, prompting authorities to issue flood and landslide warnings across the region.

The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) has warned that conditions could deteriorate rapidly as the typhoon approaches. It issued a level‑five “emergency” alert for extreme conditions on Oshima in the Izu Islands, about 65 miles south of Tokyo, and level‑four “urgent” warnings for many other areas of eastern Japan, including the Kanto region that encompasses Tokyo and surrounding prefectures.

Heavy rain has already fallen on the Izu Islands, Chiba Prefecture and other Pacific‑coastal locations, with some sites recording more than 300 mm (12 inches) of rainfall since Saturday. The JMA cautioned that linear rain bands could develop over central Japan, a phenomenon that can concentrate large volumes of rain over a narrow area for several hours and sharply raise the risk of flash floods and related disasters.

In response to the threat, authorities have instructed roughly 1.6 million people to evacuate their homes, focusing on communities most vulnerable to flooding and landslides. The emergency alert for Oshima reflects the agency’s assessment that the island faces the highest risk of severe weather impacts.

Air travel has been disrupted as the storm intensifies. Japan Airlines reported that many flights are being affected, while All Nippon Airways advised passengers to check for frequent updates. Hundreds of flights have been delayed, cancelled or diverted as a result of the adverse weather conditions.

The approaching typhoon also forced a change in the schedule of the Asian Games being held in Aichi Prefecture. Organisers postponed the equestrian eventing competition, originally set for Monday, to Tuesday to ensure the safety of athletes and spectators.