Overview
- The Japan Meteorological Agency said the Category 1 typhoon had sustained winds near 144 kph and gusts up to 198 kph as it neared islands between Kyushu and Okinawa, prompting evacuation orders for nearly 260,000 people and the closure of Naha Airport with more than 500 flights canceled on Friday.
- U.S. military installations on Okinawa entered Tropical Cyclone Condition of Readiness 1 on Thursday and moved aircraft, placed sandbags and prepared for an extended lockdown of operations.
- Major businesses have responded to the disruption: Toyota suspended operations at nine factories in Japan on Friday to avoid damage and shipping delays.
- Chinese authorities have issued a yellow alert and are preparing for a projected landfall between southern Zhejiang and northern Fujian over the weekend by docking vessels, halting ferries and deploying drones and AI forecasting tools to refine the storm’s track.
- The storm raises acute local risks because heavy rain and linear rain bands could trigger flooding and landslides in areas weakened by the July 28 Kumamoto earthquake and cause broader supply and transport disruptions across the East China Sea region.