Typhoon Dujuan nears Tokyo coast with 198 kph gusts, heavy rain alert
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Typhoon Dujuan, the year's 25th typhoon, is barreling toward Japan's eastern Pacific coast on Monday, 21 September, with the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) issuing warnings of heavy rain, strong winds, flooding, and landslides across multiple regions. The storm poses a direct threat to the densely populated Kanto and Tokai regions, coinciding with a five-day national holiday period.
Current Position and Intensity
As of 10 am local time, Typhoon Dujuan was positioned approximately 100 km west-southwest of Hachijo Island in the Izu Island chain near Tokyo, tracking northward at 25 km per hour. The storm carried a central atmospheric pressure of 960 hectopascals and maximum gusts reaching 198 kph, according to the JMA — placing it firmly in the category of a powerful, large-scale typhoon.
The storm is expected to pass near the Boso Peninsula in Chiba Prefecture, east of Tokyo, from Monday evening through late night.
Rainfall Forecasts and Landslide Alerts
Heavy downpours had already struck the Kanto-Koshin region in eastern Japan and the Tokai region in central Japan by Monday morning. Road inundation was reported across multiple cities in Chiba, and the JMA issued a level 4 landslide alert for parts of the prefecture — one step below the maximum warning level.
Rainfall forecasts for the 24 hours through 6 am Tuesday are significant: up to 350 mm in the Tokai region, 300 mm in the Kanto region and Izu Island chain, and 200 mm in the Tohoku region in northeastern Japan. Such totals raise serious flood and landslide risk, particularly in hilly and coastal zones.
Transport Disruptions and Public Warnings
The typhoon has already triggered partial closures of highway networks. Bullet train services connecting Tokyo and western Japan face potential delays and cancellations from Monday afternoon. Authorities have urged residents to monitor the latest JMA updates and take precautions, including reconsidering travel plans during the holiday period.
The timing is notable — a five-day holiday break typically sees heightened domestic travel across Japan, compounding the risk to commuters and tourists alike.
Earlier August Typhoon Context
This is not Japan's first significant typhoon of the season. In August, Typhoon Chan-hom made landfall in Ibaraki Prefecture in eastern Japan, injuring seven people — two in Iwate Prefecture, four in Ibaraki, and one in Tochigi Prefecture, according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency. Dujuan arrives as a considerably stronger and more centrally tracked storm, heightening concerns among emergency management officials.
With the storm yet to make its closest approach, conditions are expected to deteriorate through Monday night before gradually easing into Tuesday morning.