Strong typhoon traveling in the south of the Japanese archipelago is heading toward the southwestern island of Amami-Oshima on Tuesday, the weather agency said, warning of heavy rains and violent winds.
The Japan Meteorological Agency said Typhoon Shanshan could make landfall on Wednesday or later.
The typhoon, which was moving westward in south of the archipelago at 10 kilometers per hour, at 6 p.m. Monday, is forecast to travel to a location around 160 km east-southeast of Amami city on the island, at 6 a.m. Tuesday, the agency said.
Services on the Tokaido Shinkansen bullet train line running between Tokyo and Osaka may be halted entirely or partially for three days from Thursday, the operator said.
The Sanyo Shinkansen line could face similar disruption for three days from Wednesday and Kyushu Shinkansen also from Wednesday, according to operators.
The typhoon has an atmospheric pressure of 980 hectopascals at its center and was packing winds of up to 180 kph at 6 p.m. Monday.
The agency said western Japan and the Pacific side of eastern Japan could see heavy rainfall of over 300 millimeters in 24 hours.
Among the regions where the typhoon will pass over, the agency said torrential rain of over 500 mm in a 24-hour period is expected in Miyazaki Prefecture on the southwestern island of Kyushu.