Japan braces for another typhoon as airlines cancel flights

JAPAN is preparing for its second typhoon in a week, with airline companies cancelling flights and rail operators warning of disruptions.

Typhoon Lan is expected to make landfall on Tuesday (Aug 15) in central Japan near Osaka, the country’s second largest metropolitan area. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) has called for precautions against heavy rain, mudslides and strong winds. 

Japan Airlines said on Sunday afternoon it had cancelled 19 domestic flights for Monday due to the storm, with more updates expected. 

Regional operators of Japan’s high-speed trains – Central Japan Railway and West Japan Railway – warned they could halt operation completely on parts of their system on Tuesday, and said delays and suspensions were likely on Monday and Wednesday. 

As at Sunday afternoon, Typhoon Lan was about 320 km south of Japan’s Hachijojima island and moving north-west, said the JMA. The storm, which is called Typhoon No 7 in Japan, is packing maximum winds of about 144 kmh.

It is expected to make landfall on a path across the centre of Japan’s main island – a heavy industrial region with major car factories – before turning north towards Hokkaido. 

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Flights cancelled as typhoon skirts southern Japan

Less than a week ago, Typhoon Khanun rolled through the region, brushing past Japan on its way to South Korea, forcing the closure of car plants, hundreds of flight cancellations and power outages. BLOOMBERG