Typhoon Shanshan headed for Japan threatens transport links

Typhoon Shanshan is expected to approach Japan’s southern island of Kyushu on Tuesday or Wednesday, with rail operators warning of service disruptions and an airline canceling flights.

The storm is generating maximum sustained winds near its center of 65 knots (120 kilometers) per hour, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. Shanshan is located south of the nation’s main islands and is moving west-northwest at 20 kilometers per hour, the weather bureau said.

Kyushu Railway Co. said rail services could be suspended from Tuesday, depending on the typhoon’s course and strength. Central Japan Railway Co. added that the Tokaido bullet train, which links Tokyo to the western parts of the country, could also be disrupted.

Japan Airlines Co. canceled a total of 122 flights – mostly domestic – for Tuesday and Wednesday because of the typhoon. At a press conference on Monday, the Ministry of Transport and the Bureau of Meteorology warned people in the affected areas to prepare for power and water outages and to check transport timetables.

Shanshan could cost Japanese insurers more than 100 billion yen ($695 million) if the typhoon makes a direct hit on the island of Shikoku and the city of Hiroshima, according to a note by Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Steven Lam. Enki Research said damages could total between $6 billion and $10 billion.

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Catastrophe Natural disasters Japan