Typhoon Shanshan — forecast by the Meteorological Agency to be a “very strong” storm — is set to hit western Japan on Tuesday, with the agency urging residents to prepare for the storm.
“The typhoon is expected to approach western Japan and the Amami region with very strong force, accompanied by a storm. Therefore, we must be on high alert for storms, high waves and heavy rainfall over a wide area, mainly in western Japan, but also in eastern Japan as well,” said Shuichi Tachihara, an official at the weather agency, during a news conference Monday.
As of 3 p.m. on Monday, the storm was moving across the ocean south of Japan at a speed of 20 kilometers per hour. It is expected to become more powerful on Tuesday, and it is forecast to make its way north throughout the week.