Strong typhoon approaching eastern Japan, heavy rain expected

Typhoon Shanshan was moving toward the Izu island chain, south of Tokyo, and is expected to come very close to areas facing the Pacific on Thursday, KYODO NEWS reports.

As of 9 a.m. Tuesday, the season's 13th typhoon was located over the Pacific 430 kilometers north-northeast of Chichijima Island and moving at a speed of about 20 km per hour north-northwest, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.

Heavy rain and thunder are expected mostly in eastern and central Japan from Tuesday noon, with intense rain forecast from Wednesday through Thursday.

In the 24-hour period through 6 a.m. Wednesday, 80 millimeters of rain may fall in eastern, central and northeastern Japan, while up to 300 mm of rain in eastern Japan is predicted in the 24 hours to 6 a.m. Thursday.