Typhoon Jebi bore down on western Japan on today, grounding flights and halting trains in Japan’s second-largest population center. Authorities warn that when it makes landfall later in the day, it could be the strongest storm to do so in Japan in a quarter-century.
The typhoon, the 21st of the season, is bearing down on the area of the country home to Osaka, Kyoto and Kobe. It will likely make landfall on Shikoku, Japan’s smallest main island, or the Kii Peninsula by midday, carrying winds of up to 100 mph, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.
The storm was located about 130 kilometers south of Shikoku as of 7:45 a.m. local time, heading north at about 35 kph. After hitting western Japan, it is set to speed up further as it passes over the main island of Honshu and into the Sea of Japan, where it will weaken. While Tokyo will be spared the worst of the storm, authorities have warned of very strong winds and heavy rain even in the capital.
ANA Holdings said this morning it was canceling 247 domestic and eight international flights, while Japan Airlines pulled 176 domestic flights.
West Japan Railway Co. has begun halting local trains and plans to stop all local services in the area’s three main cities by noon. Shinkansen high-speed trains between Osaka and Hiroshima were set to be canceled from mid-morning.
