Typhoon Shanshan is expected to approach western and eastern parts of Japan from Tuesday onwards. Weather officials are warning of violent winds and landslides.
The Meteorological Agency says the strong typhoon was moving northwest over waters south of Japan at a speed of 30 kilometers per hour as of 6 p.m. on Sunday.
Shanshan has a central atmospheric pressure of 980 hectopascals. It is packing maximum sustained winds of 126 kilometers per hour near its center and gusts peaking at 180 kilometers per hour.
The typhoon is expected to continue heading north while picking up strength, and reach a very strong level on Tuesday before coming close to western and eastern Japan.
Agency officials forecast that the maximum wind speed will reach 126 kilometers per hour in southern Kyushu on Tuesday and 90 kilometers per hour in the Shikoku region.
They also predict that the maximum gust speed will reach 180 kilometers per hour in southern Kyushu and 126 kilometers in the Shikoku and Amami regions.
The typhoon is expected to bring heavy rain to western and eastern Japan, mainly to areas along the Pacific coast, from Tuesday through Wednesday.
Tokai and Shikoku could get up to 200 millimeters of rainfall in the 24-hour-period through Tuesday evening, while the Kinki region and southern Kyushu could get 150 millimeters. During the 24 hours through Wednesday evening, rainfall could reach up to 400 millimeters in Tokai, 300 millimeters in Kinki, Shikoku and southern Kyushu, and 200 millimeters in northern Kyushu.
Seas are expected to become rough with swells on Tuesday, and may become extremely rough later.
Agency officials are urging caution against violent winds, landslides, flooding in low-lying areas, rising water levels and flooding of rivers, and high waves.
The Central Japan Railway Company says cancellations of its Tokaido Shinkansen bullet train services due to the typhoon are possible, and will be announced around Wednesday and Thursday.
The company says heavy rain is forecast on Tuesday which could cause some services to be suspended for hours.