Typhoon 'Sansan' May Make Landfall in Japan on the 28th... Up to 400mm of Rain Expected

The 10th typhoon of the season, 'Sansan,' is moving northwest over the southern sea of Japan on the 26th, and is forecasted to approach western Japan around the 27th. As this typhoon is expected to bring heavy rainfall of up to 400mm within 24 hours, tension is rising across the Japanese archipelago.

According to the Japan Meteorological Agency and Kyodo News, as of 9 a.m. on this day, Sansan is moving northwest at about 20 km/h over the southern sea of Japan. The central pressure is 980 hPa (hectopascal), and the maximum wind speed near the center is 35 m/s.

Typhoon No. 10 'San-san' Expected Path [Image source: Screenshot from Japan Meteorological Agency website]

Typhoon Sansan is expected to approach western Japan, including Amami in Kagoshima Prefecture, around the 27th, then change direction to the northeast and make landfall on the Japanese archipelago starting from the 28th. The expected rainfall over 24 hours until 6 a.m. on the 27th is 150mm in the Tokai region including Shizuoka Prefecture, and 120mm in the Kinki region including Osaka Prefecture and Nara Prefecture.

The Meteorological Agency stated, "Due to this typhoon, the 24-hour rainfall is expected to reach a maximum of 300 to 400mm in western and eastern Japan, raising concerns about a high risk of disasters caused by heavy rain," and urged, "Please be strictly cautious of disasters caused by storms, high waves, and heavy rain."

With the typhoon approaching, disruptions to transportation such as the high-speed Shinkansen trains and flights are expected. Operators of the Shinkansen have pre-announced the possibility of temporarily suspending train services passing through Tokaido, Tohoku, Akita, and other lines on the 28th and 29th.

Airlines predict that domestic flights using airports in the western Japan region may be affected from the 27th to the 29th. The ferry operating between Miyazaki and Kobe announced that all four scheduled trips on the 26th and 27th will be canceled.