Train and flight services in western Japan are likely to be disrupted from Sunday as powerful Typhoon Haishen approaches the region, bringing potential record rainfall and strong winds, Kyodo reported. West Japan Railway Co. is considering suspending Sanyo Shinkansen bullet train services between Hiroshima and Hakata stations all day Monday and reducing local train services between Shin-Osaka and Hiroshima stations. Kyushu Railway Co. said its bullet and local train services on Japan's southwestern main island may be suspended on Sunday and Monday, while Shikoku Railway Co. has decided to suspend all luxury sightseeing train runs on those days. Japan Airlines Co., All Nippon Airways Co. and other airlines are considering canceling flights serving airports in Okinawa Prefecture, Amami-Oshima Island in Kagoshima Prefecture and other parts of the Kyushu region, and the Shikoku region in western Japan, for three days from today, on Saturday. Seven-Eleven Japan Co. plans to close about 1,000 convenience stores in all seven prefectures in Kyushu or about 40 percent of its total in the region, starting Saturday. Yamato Transport Co. said it will halt pickup and delivery services for up to three days through Monday in Kyushu, part of Shikoku and a few other prefectures in western Japan. The typhoon is projected to reach winds of up to 306 kilometers per hour when it approaches Okinawa and Amami-Oshima Island on Sunday, with up to 800 millimeters of rain expected to drench the lower parts of Kyushu in the 24 hours to 6 p.m. Monday, the Japan Meteorological Agency said. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe urged the public to "evacuate promptly based on information provided by local governments, and take actions to protect lives." He added that 22,000 Self-Defense Forces members were ready to be deployed for rescue operations if necessary. Japan Meteorological Agency official Nakamoto Yoshihisa said, "The large and very powerful Typhoon Haishen is expected to intensify to emergency-warning level as it nears the regions of Okinawa early on Sunday and Amami later the same day." Japanese Land Ministry official Takamura Yuhei said, "There is an increasing risk of flooding from large rivers in Kyushu. There is also the danger of flooding in regions other than Kyushu." The Meteorological Agency is warning of record-breaking winds, high waves, storm surges and unprecedented heavy rains. A powerful typhoon approaching southwestern Japan has intensified into a dangerous storm, with officials warning of record rainfall, huge waves and high tides. The approach of Typhoon Haishen comes after Typhoon Maysak left at least 20 injured in Kyushu before making landfall on the Korean Peninsula. That storm caused widespread blackouts in Kyushu and led to the suspension of some bullet trains and flights in the region. In South Korea, the storm killed at least two people and caused widespread power outages, reports said. Separately, the Japan Coast Guard said on Friday that it rescued a man likely to be a crew member from a capsized ship carrying cattle. The man was unconscious and transferred to the hospital, it added in a statement. He was found about 120 kilometers north-northwest of Amami Oshima island. A life jacket and a cattle carcass were collected in the area, it said. The Coast Guard said earlier on Friday it was still searching for more than 40 crew members who went missing after the ship carrying cattle from New Zealand to China capsized. A Meteorological Agency official urged residents of Kyushu and Okinawa to brace for the storm. "People in affected areas should not hesitate to evacuate their homes and find shelter, even though they may be worried about becoming infected with the new coronavirus," the official said. In an online meeting with government officials earlier in the day, Ryota Takeda, minister for disaster management, urged people to brace for the approaching typhoon, calling on them to remain alert and not go out unnecessarily. This week, the Meteorological Agency said that sea-surface temperatures south of Japan were considerably higher than normal in August, with many areas marking record highs since 1982, when comparable data became available. The higher temperatures are expected to continue this month, the agency said, warning that typhoons tend to maintain their development and strength when passing over warm seas. A report released last month by Climate Central, an organization of scientists and journalists, said climate change is increasing the frequency and duration of marine heat waves, which can contribute to stronger storms while also impacting ecosystems. Over the last 100 years, sea-surface temperatures have risen by 1.3 degrees Celsius, increasing the likelihood of marine heat waves, the report said. — Agencies
