Typhoon Holiday Disruption
Typhoon Dujuan Brings Heavy Rain And High Winds To Eastern Japan
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Key Points
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Japan was entering a five-day holiday period beginning Saturday, with Monday’s Respect for the Aged Day expected to increase travel disruption if strong winds and heavy rain affected transport links.
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Before approaching Japan, Dujuan passed through the remote Ogasawara Islands and was forecast to move toward the Izu Islands before potentially nearing Kanto; as of early Friday, it was off Minamitorishima, moving north-northwest at 40 kph with central pressure of 985 hectopascals.
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The Joint Typhoon Warning Center forecast that Dujuan could rapidly intensify over unusually warm waters, while eastern Japan—including Tokyo—had already experienced two weeks of record precipitation, worsening the threat of flooding and landslides.
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The Japan Meteorological Agency initially identified the system as a tropical depression with a central pressure of 1,000 hectopascals, sustained winds of 54 kph and gusts of 83 kph on Sept. 16; a weather front stretching from Shikoku to Kanto was also contributing to unstable conditions.
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U.S. National Weather Service meteorologist Landon Aydlett said the system had formed after two disturbances merged and described its projected route as an “S-shaped track” that could bring it close to Tokyo or southeastern Japan; he advised travelers flying to Narita or Tokyo to monitor forecasts.
Typhoon Dujuan brought record-breaking rainfall and dangerous winds to eastern Japan over the Silver Week holiday period, with some areas receiving more than 600 millimeters of rain in just 24 hours. Japan Meteorological Agency issued its highest-level landslide warning for the Izu Islands as the storm passed 110-130 kilometers southeast of Tokyo, disrupting travel plans for millions and forcing the cancellation of hundreds of flights at major airports.
The typhoon formed on September 16 from two merged disturbances east of the Mariana Islands and rapidly intensified over unusually warm ocean waters. U.S. National Weather Service meteorologist Landon Aydlett warned that Dujuan's unusual S-shaped track could bring it dangerously close to Tokyo or southeastern Japan, while the Japan Meteorological Agency cautioned that the region's already saturated ground from two weeks of record rainfall heightened the risk of catastrophic floods and landslides.
Typhoon Dujuan's Path and Rapid Intensification
Dujuan developed as a tropical depression with winds of 54 kilometers per hour on September 16, located east of the Mariana Islands. The system strengthened as it moved northwest over warm ocean waters, reaching typhoon status briefly before weakening again. Joint Typhoon Warning Center forecasts predicted rapid intensification along its path toward Japan, with central pressure dropping to 960 hectopascals and sustained winds reaching 144 kilometers per hour.
Record Rainfall Hits Izu Islands and Coastal Regions
Oshima Island in the Izu Islands recorded an extraordinary 600 millimeters of rain within 24 hours as Dujuan passed closest to Tokyo on September 21. watchers.news reported that Level 5 landslide warnings—the highest alert level—were issued for Oshima and surrounding areas. The Izu Islands, Chiba Prefecture, and other Pacific coastal zones received between 300 and 350 millimeters of rainfall, compounded by ground that was already saturated from two weeks of record precipitation.
The combination of heavy rain and unstable atmospheric conditions created dangerous linear rainbands that posed catastrophic flood and landslide risks even though Dujuan's eye remained mostly offshore. Japan Meteorological Agency Director of Forecasting Takuya Hosomi urged residents in high-risk zones to evacuate immediately, stating that major disasters could occur at any moment in areas under Level 4 warnings.
Massive Holiday Travel Disruptions and Event Cancellations
Approximately 500 flights were canceled at Tokyo's Haneda and Narita airports as Dujuan peaked during Japan's five-day Silver Week holiday period, which includes Respect for the Aged Day. More than 1.6 million residents received evacuation advisories, and 9,000 households lost power in Chiba Prefecture. The Asia Games organizing committee postponed an equestrian event scheduled for Saturday, rescheduling it to Tuesday at JRA Baji Koen in Aichi Prefecture.
Major cultural events were also shuttered. The Tokyo Game Show ended early on its final day, while the Rock in Japan music festival in Chiba was canceled entirely. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi urged all residents to strictly follow municipal evacuation orders and shelter-in-place directives during the storm's peak.
Typhoon Expected to Weaken as It Moves Northeast
Japan Meteorological Agency forecasted that Dujuan would move northeast off the coast of Tohoku in subsequent days and gradually transition into an extratropical low-pressure system. However, officials warned that uncertainty remained regarding the storm's exact track and potential impacts, as atmospheric conditions could shift. One fatality was reported in Miyazaki Prefecture, with additional minor injuries linked to landslides in Chiba as the typhoon's reach extended across a wide region of Japan.
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