Japan’s meteorological agency confirmed that Typhoon Chan‑hom, the 17th named system of the year, is tracking toward the country’s main island, Honshu, with the greatest risk centered on the densely populated Kanto region, including Tokyo. Although the system has been downgraded to a tropical depression after striking Ibaraki Prefecture, forecasters warned that high waves could persist even under clear skies.
Formation, track and official outlook
The cyclone formed on Monday near the Ogasawara Islands, a remote archipelago south of Tokyo, before accelerating northeastward. Japan Today reported that the storm made initial landfall in Ibaraki on Tuesday, at which point it began to lose strength. The Japan Meteorological Agency, quoted by 日テレNEWS NNN, expects the remnants to approach the Kanto coast by the weekend, urging residents to remain vigilant for “high waves even if the sky is clear.”
“Even if the sky is clear, you need to be careful of high waves,” a forecaster told NNN.
Impact on the ground
In Ibaraki, the storm’s landfall triggered power outages affecting thousands of households and left several people injured, according to AP News. Japan Today noted that the system weakened to a tropical depression shortly after landfall, but the lingering rains prompted heavy‑rain warnings across neighboring prefectures. Local authorities activated evacuation advisories for low‑lying coastal areas and ordered the suspension of school classes in the most vulnerable zones.
Emergency services responded to reports of flooded streets and disrupted transportation. The Asahi Shimbun highlighted that the storm’s rapid weakening was unusual for a landfall in Ibaraki, which historically sees stronger systems retain tropical‑storm intensity longer.
Beyond the immediate damage, the storm’s high seas have forced the cancellation of several ferry routes between the mainland and the Izu Islands. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism urged mariners to stay below the advised sea‑state levels until the system moves offshore.
Regional context and broader implications
Chan‑hom is the latest of three major cyclones that have battered parts of Asia this month, a pattern highlighted in a map published by The Independent. While Japan grapples with the immediate threats, neighboring South Korea observed the storm’s remnants dissipate over the East Sea, a development Korea JoongAng Daily linked to delayed drought‑relief efforts in the peninsula.
Officials in Tokyo, including Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s cabinet, have emphasized that the nation’s disaster‑response mechanisms remain on high alert. Kishida, speaking at a press briefing on Tuesday, said the government would “continue to coordinate with local prefectures to ensure public safety and swift restoration of essential services.”
Weather agencies expect Chan‑hom’s remnants to exit Japanese waters by early next week, though scattered showers and elevated surf are likely to persist along the eastern coastline. Residents are advised to monitor official updates and heed local advisories until the system fully dissipates.
