Tropical Storm Dujuan Threatens Eastern Japan and Tokyo Over Silver Week Holidays

As millions across Japan prepare to observe the upcoming Silver Week holiday period, weather authorities are closely monitoring the approach of Tropical Storm Dujuan. According to reports from The Japan Times, authored by staff writer Jessica Speed and based on updates from the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), the storm system is forecast to bring severe weather, including heavy rainfall, strong winds, and dangerous high waves, to the eastern part of the country and the greater Tokyo region.

Meteorological data cited by the JMA indicates that as of 3 p.m. on Friday, the storm was positioned roughly 170 kilometers south-southeast of Chichijima within the Ogasawara Islands. At that time, Tropical Storm Dujuan was tracking in a west-northwest direction at a speed of 35 kilometers per hour. The system's central pressure was recorded at 975 hectopascals, accompanied by maximum sustained winds near its center reaching 108 kilometers per hour, alongside powerful gusts hitting up to 162 kilometers per hour.

The trajectory charted by forecasters shows the storm passing close to the Ogasawara Island chain starting Friday night and continuing into Saturday. From there, Dujuan is projected to pivot northward, bringing it into close proximity with the Izu Islands by Sunday. The system is then expected to shift toward a north-northeasterly heading, bringing it near the Pacific coast of eastern Japan through Sunday and into Monday, before it ultimately accelerates away from the country and out over the open Pacific Ocean by Tuesday.

Ahead of the storm's arrival, the JMA has issued detailed rainfall forecasts for the affected territories. The Ogasawara Islands are projected to experience up to 250 millimeters of rainfall over a 24-hour period leading up to noon on Saturday. Subsequently, the Izu Islands could accumulate up to 200 millimeters of rain in the following 24-hour window, while localized parts of the Kanto region are expected to see precipitation totals reach up to 150 millimeters. An additional 200 millimeters of rainfall is anticipated across both the Kanto region and the Izu Islands during the 24-hour period concluding at noon on Monday.

Alongside heavy precipitation, the storm brings significant wind and marine hazards. The Ogasawara Islands are expected to endure maximum sustained winds of 90 kilometers per hour, with violent gusts reaching 126 kilometers per hour through Friday and Saturday. As the storm shifts northward, winds surrounding the Izu Islands are forecast to climb to 101 kilometers per hour on Sunday, featuring gusts of up to 144 kilometers per hour.

Maritime conditions are predicted to be severely disrupted. Wave heights could surge up to 7 meters around the Ogasawara Islands through Friday and Saturday, with equally dangerous 7-meter waves anticipated around the Izu Islands by Sunday. Furthermore, coastal areas along the Kanto region face waves reaching up to 6 meters on Sunday, compounded by hazardous swells generated by the approaching tropical system.

The combination of torrential downpours and high seas has prompted official warnings regarding a heightened risk of environmental hazards. Authorities have cautioned residents and travelers to remain vigilant against potential landslides, localized flooding in low-lying areas, and rapidly swelling rivers. Additionally, heavy rainfall could extend along the Pacific coast from the Tokai region up into northeastern Japan from Sunday through Monday.

Because the severe weather coincides with the Silver Week holiday schedule, officials and transportation operators are urging the public to keep updated on changing weather forecasts and local advisories. While the system is expected to clear out into the Pacific by Tuesday, the immediate impacts threaten to disrupt holiday plans and outdoor activities across eastern Japan.