A powerful typhoon was bearing down on Japan's Pacific coast on Monday, September 21, 2026, bringing torrential rain, violent winds and a serious risk of landslides across eastern Japan, including the densely populated Kanto region that surrounds Tokyo. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) warned that conditions could deteriorate rapidly as Typhoon Dujuan was forecast to pass close to the Tokyo metropolitan area later in the day.

The storm had already made its presence felt before landfall. Parts of the Izu Islands — a chain of volcanic islands stretching south of Tokyo into the Pacific — as well as Chiba Prefecture and other coastal areas had recorded more than 300 millimetres (12 inches) of rainfall since Saturday. The JMA warned that downpours could intensify significantly from Monday afternoon as the system moved closer to the Kanto region.

Authorities expressed particular concern about the potential formation of linear rain bands — a meteorological phenomenon that has grown increasingly worrying in Japan in recent years. These concentrated corridors of intense precipitation can dump extraordinary volumes of rain over a narrow area for several hours, dramatically raising the risk of flash floods and landslides with little warning. Officials urged residents in vulnerable areas to monitor conditions closely and follow evacuation guidance promptly.

The typhoon also disrupted the Asian Games, which are being held this year in Aichi Prefecture, in central Japan. Organisers postponed the equestrian eventing competition until Tuesday as a precaution, though other events were not immediately reported to be affected.

Typhoon Dujuan arrives against a backdrop of an unusually active year for extreme weather globally, with intense rainfall events, flooding and powerful tropical cyclones having struck regions across East Asia, North America and Europe in 2026. For Japan — a country with extensive experience managing typhoon season, which typically runs from late summer into autumn — the storm is a reminder of the growing intensity of such events and the ongoing challenge of protecting lives and infrastructure in vulnerable coastal and mountainous areas.