Japan Typhoon Shanshan live: Parts of Tokyo ordered to evacuate as storm set to bring heavy rain for days

Prime minister Fumio Kishida called for urgent action from ministers while prioritising public safety.

“Please continue to put people’s safety first and cooperate closely with local authorities to take all possible measures to keep the public informed, support evacuation in advance in areas where danger is anticipated, and maintain a well-prepared disaster response centred on the police, fire department, and Self-Defense Forces,” he said at a meeting, according to the Japan Times.

As the typhoon approached the southern coast of Kyushu in the small hours of Thursday, storm chaser James Reynolds described a “complete whiteout at times” in Makurazaki, as the eyewall of the typhoon brought fierce winds, sheets of rain and infrequent lightning, leaving its harbour a “churning cauldron”.

In further X posts on Thursday morning local time, Mr Reynolds described widespread power outages and blocked roads as he shared footage of trees uprooted and rivers gushing with rainwater.

Fellow storm chaser Jonathan Petramala, also shared footage of the swirling blankets of rain in Makurazaka, writing: “This vortex in the inner eye wall … reminds me of the Dementors in HarryPotter”.

After returning to his hotel, Mr Petramala wrote: “The eye wall is still grinding over us … The whole building is shaking.”

Numerous companies have halted operations at their factories as the severe tropical storm hits Japan.

Toyota, which is headquartered in Aichi Prefecture, suspended operations at all 14 of its plants in Japan from Wednesday evening, it said.

Nissan said it would suspend operations at its Kyushu plant on Thursday and Friday morning, while Honda will also temporarily close its factory in Kumamoto in southwestern Kyushu.

Also, Mazda Motor planned to suspend operations at its Hiroshima and Hofu plants, both in western Japan, from Thursday evening, the firm said.

At a Friday news conference, land minister Tetsuo Saito urged people to stay alert as Tropical Storm Shanshan, though moving east, remains difficult to track.

“Heavy rainfall and other effects may be prolonged and widespread,” Mr Saito warned, according to Japan Times.

The land ministry said storm damage, including 13 landslides in Miyazaki Prefecture, water outages in Kagoshima and Oita, and sunken fishing boats in Kagoshima and Miyazaki. A landslide in Isehara, Kanagawa Prefecture, caused a road blockage.

“Please continue to check the weather and evacuation information,” he advised.

Evacuation orders have also been issued for multiple cities in western Tokyo, including Hachioji, Tama and Machida, due to the risk of landslides.

In Tokyo, parts of Setagaya and Suginami wards are also under evacuation orders. Kanagawa has issued evacuation orders in over 30 cities and towns, including parts of Yokohama and Kawasaki. In Saitama, an evacuation order was announced in the city of Iruma.

Evacuation orders are also in place across various cities and towns in all prefectures of the Kyushu region, as well as in Tokushima, Ehime, and Kochi in Shikoku. Additionally, parts of Aichi and Shizuoka remain under evacuation orders.

Japanese authorities have claimed the slow speed of storm Shanshan has meant it has cause more damage across the country.

Shanshan made landfall Thursday morning on the southern main island of Kyushu as a powerful typhoon. It steadily weakened but did not move much and was on the northern edge of the Shikoku island, east of Kyushu, Friday night.

The slow pace increases the amount and duration of the rainfall and risks of disaster, experts say.

Trains, planes and delivery services have all been severely impacted in Japan in the wake of tropical storm Shanshan.

Hundreds of domestic flights connecting southwestern cities were canceled, and Shinkansen bullet trains were suspended between Tokyo and Osaka on Friday.

Postal and delivery services were mostly suspended in southwestern regions of Kyushu and Shikoku, and supermarkets and other stores were closed in the region.

Automakers including Toyota Motor Corp and Mazda Motor Corp closed down their factories in the affected regions through Friday.

A slow-moving tropical storm had a far-reaching impact in much of Japanon Friday, dumping heavy rain around Tokyo and flooding roads and riverside areas in the south.

Flooding was reported in a number of areas in Kanagawa prefecture, west of Tokyo, where floodwater blocked roads, stalling vehicles and traffic.

Warnings for heavy rain and potential landslides included the densely populated capital, Kanagawa and nearby Shizuoka prefecture.

Muddy water flowed down the Meguro River in one of Tokyo’s popular cherry blossom viewing spots, the water significantly swollen from its usual levels, NHK television footage showed.

At least six people have now died as Shanshan continues to wreak havoc across Japan.

The typhoon killed three people before it even made landfall on Thursday, as it caused a landslide that killed three people.

Three more have since been found dead, according to prefectural disaster management offices. 

A man in his 80s died in Fukuoka, after falling into a river. Another elderly man died when he was thrown to the ground at a shrine in the Saga prefecture. A sixth victim was killed in Tokushima when the roof of his house fell on him. 

About 100 people have been injured across the country, most of them in the Kyushu region. Two people are missing.