Typhoon Jangmi has brought torrential rain to large swathes of Japan’s main island after making landfall early on Wednesday, inching along the country’s Pacific coast and forcing widespread evacuations and travel disruption.
Japanese weather officials issued their highest-level flood warnings in several areas, urging residents living near rivers or in low-lying locations to seek safety on higher ground.
In Tokyo, people living near the Zenpukuji river were advised to evacuate or take shelter as rising muddy waters approached overflow levels. Authorities urged around 370,000 residents from Tokyo to Shikoku to evacuate as Jangmi swept north and eastward past the Japanese capital.
Water flows into the swollen Tama river amid heavy rain brought by severe tropical storm Jangmi in Tokyo on 3 June 2026 (AFP/Getty)
At the time of its landfall in Wakayama prefecture, Jangmi was producing strong winds of up to 126kmph and moving east-northeast. The typhoon had weakened to a severe tropical storm by Wednesday afternoon, with maximum sustained winds of about 90kmph and a central pressure of 985 hPa.
Japan’s Meteorological Agency warned that substantial rainfall was expected to continue as the storm moved off to the east of the country, impacting parts of central and eastern Japan.
The storm has caused widespread disruption, with heavy rain bringing traffic to a standstill in parts of Tokyo, forcing the cancellation of hundreds of flights and causing delays and suspensions on rail services.
More than 60,000 households were without power later on Wednesday, Reuters reported.
Authorities issued flood alerts in several areas of central and eastern Japan after some locations recorded exceptionally high rainfall, including around 50cm in the city of Owase over a 24-hour period.
Warnings and advisories in place (JMA)
Jangmi had earlier swept through Okinawa, where 15 people reportedly sustained minor injuries before the storm moved north and made landfall in Wakayama.
Landslide alerts were issued for several areas, including the Shizuoka prefecture cities of Ito, Shimoda and Atami, along with parts of Chiba and Kanagawa prefectures. Authorities also ordered evacuations in multiple locations, including Omaezaki in Shizuoka, Kihoku in Mie, Yokosuka in Kanagawa, Totsuka Ward in Yokohama, and the town of Otaki in Chiba. Meanwhile, another warning was issued for Iwaki city in Fukushima prefecture.
Passengers wait at the international terminal at Haneda airport after flights were cancelled or severely delayed because of severe tropical storm Jangmi in Tokyo on 3 June 2026 (AFP/Getty)
“If you sense any danger, please do not hesitate to take early action to protect your lives,” government spokesperson Minoru Kihara said at a press briefing.
Mr Kihara said earlier in the day that the government had received reports of flooded roads, fallen trees and landslides from Kyushu through to the Kanto region, including Tokyo, as the typhoon brought heavy rain across a wide area.
A woman holding her umbrella waits for a train on an empty platform at rush hour as severe tropical storm Jangmi passes over Tokyo on 3 June 2026 (AFP/Getty)
The Japan Meteorological Agency forecast up to 200mm of rain across the Kanto-Koshin and Tokai regions by Thursday morning, with as much as 120mm expected in Tohoku. It warned that rainfall totals could be significantly higher in areas where linear rainbands develop.
Several JR East routes were suspended from the start of the day on Wednesday, including sections of the Shonan-Shinjuku, Chuo, Ome and Tokaido lines, with operators expecting services on some routes to resume later in the afternoon or evening.
A man walks down a sidewalk in heavy rain brought by severe tropical storm Jangmi in Tokyo on 3 June 2026 (AFP/Getty)
Train services on the Hachiko Line were also halted after branches became entangled in overhead power lines, according to local media reports.
On social media, users posted images and videos of flooded roads and subway stations.
A number of rail routes were expected to remain closed throughout the day, including sections of the Uchibo, Sobu Main, Kashima, Sotobo, Narita and Kururi lines. Tokyo Metro and other private railway companies warned passengers to expect additional delays and possible service suspensions as severe weather conditions persisted.
Long-distance and limited express services were also heavily affected. The Narita Express and the Azusa and Kaiji services were suspended from the first departures of the day, while all trains on routes including the Odoriko, Saphir Odoriko, Shiosai, Sazanami, Wakashio, Kinugawa, Spacia Nikko and Kusatsu/Shima services were cancelled.
Air travel was similarly impacted, with around 760 domestic flights and more than 90 international flights cancelled on Wednesday, according to NHK Japan.
AloJapan.com