Flights and trains in the Tokyo area were canceled on Friday as Typhoon Ampil approached, bringing warnings of strong winds, heavy rain, and potential flooding and mudslides.
The typhoon was expected to reach waters near Tokyo by evening and continue north, bringing stormy conditions to the northern Kanto and Tohoku regions early Saturday.
It had sustained winds of 162 kph (101 mph) with higher gusts Friday morning and was moving north at 15 kph, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.
Ampil was not expected to make landfall and is forecast to weaken to a tropical storm by Sunday.
Tokyo Disneyland, usually open until 9 p.m., closed early at 3 p.m. due to the typhoon.
Yamato Transport, which handles deliveries for Amazon and other companies in Japan, announced that no deliveries would be made in Tokyo and nearby areas on Friday and Saturday.
Shinkansen bullet trains running between Tokyo and Nagoya were halted for the entire day, according to Central Japan Railway, a common response to typhoons.
Bullet trains serving northeastern Japan and some local Tokyo trains were temporarily suspended or switched to a slower schedule.
Dozens of flights departing from and arriving at Tokyo’s Haneda and Narita airports, as well as Kansai, Osaka, and Chubu airports, were canceled. The cancellations affected around 90,000 passengers, according to Japanese media reports. Several highways were also partially closed to traffic.
Airports and train stations were crowded on Thursday as people moved up their travel plans to avoid typhoon disruptions. Friday was drizzly and windy in Tokyo, though the intensity varied. Traffic and crowds on the streets were sparse, partly due to the Bon summer holiday period rather than just the weather. Stores remained open.
Officials warned people to stay away from rivers and beaches and to be cautious of winds strong enough to send objects flying.
"We foresee extremely fierce winds and extremely rough seas,” said Shuichi Tachihara, JMA chief forecaster.
Japanese TV broadcasts showed residents of Hachijo boarding up windows. The typhoon passed Hachijo by midday as it continued north. Store shelves for bread and instant noodles were emptied.
