Japan’s looming typhoon crisis threatens disaster defences and tourism
Up to 28 typhoons are predicted to affect Japan this year, with 14 likely to make landfall – close to historical extremes
Tokyo-based Weathernews, a private meteorological firm providing long-range forecasts across Asia, has predicted that as many as 28 typhoons could affect Japan this year, with up to 14 potentially making landfall – well above average and approaching historical extremes.
In a typical year, about 25 storm systems form in the northwestern Pacific, while fewer than three usually strike Japan’s main islands. The country’s record of 33 typhoons forming in a single year was set in 1994, while the highest number to make landfall was 10, in 2004.
Clean-up work is still under way in parts of central Japan after Jangmi made landfall in southern Wakayama prefecture in the early hours of June 3.
The Japan Meteorological Agency issued a Level Five emergency warning for flooding along several rivers in the prefecture and urged residents to evacuate to higher ground, while Level Four warnings for extensive flooding and landslides were issued for Tokyo, Kanagawa prefecture and seven other prefectures across eastern Japan.
Airlines cancelled 524 domestic flights, and Shinkansen bullet trains, regular rail services and metro lines were cancelled or severely delayed. In the town of Owase, in Mie prefecture, 52.6cm of rain fell in the 24 hours to 9am on June 3, a record for the month so far.