Tropical Storm Jangmi Disrupts Japan, 600 Flights Cancelled

A severe tropical storm brought widespread disruption to Japan this week, grounding hundreds of flights, cutting power to tens of thousands of homes, and prompting evacuation advisories for hundreds of thousands of residents. The storm, known as Jangmi, moved from the country's southwestern islands toward the greater Tokyo region.

The storm first impacted the Ryukyu Islands, including Okinawa, with heavy rain and damaging winds before tracking northeast. Authorities reported power outages affecting approximately 60,000 households nationwide. At least a dozen people were injured in storm-related incidents in Okinawa and southern Japan, with reports of several buildings being partially destroyed.

Transportation networks faced severe disruptions. Japan's two largest airlines, All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines, cancelled a combined total of over 600 domestic and international flights on Wednesday alone, with hundreds more cancelled earlier in the week as the storm approached. Some bullet train services in southwestern and western Japan were delayed, while certain rail services in the Tokyo area were suspended. Naha Airport in Okinawa was closed for a full day for safety reasons.