Japan Rains Hard as Tropical Storm Jangmi Hits, Disrupts Power to 60k Homes

Severe tropical storm Jangmi swept across Japan on Wednesday, causing strong winds and heavy rain that disrupted transport and businesses. Power outages affected tens of thousands of homes.

The storm’s center was approximately 150 kilometers south of Tokyo early Wednesday afternoon, moving northeast with maximum sustained winds up to 25 meters per second. The Meteorological Agency warned of heightened vigilance as the storm approached the Pacific side of eastern Japan.

At least 15 people suffered minor injuries due to the storm. Power has been cut to nearly 60,000 households so far, and authorities reported flooding, fallen trees, debris, and landslides across various regions.

Airlines including Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways canceled around 900 international and domestic flights on Wednesday, affecting approximately 90,000 passengers. Some bullet train services in Kyushu and western Japan were delayed, while East Japan Railway suspended rail services in the Tokyo area.

Toyota Motor halted operations at 13 domestic plants on Wednesday morning, with plans to resume production later that evening. Suzuki Motor also planned to resume operations after halting work at all five plants in Shizuoka Prefecture, west of Tokyo, in the morning.