Strong Winds Cause 'Shaky Landings' at Narita Airport

Apr 16, 2025 | News On Japan

TOKYO - Strong winds battered wide areas of Japan on April 15th, disrupting air travel, toppling trees in central Tokyo, and fueling a fire that burned down homes in Toyama.

At Narita Airport in Chiba Prefecture, aircraft were seen struggling to land amid gusty conditions. Several planes wobbled sharply during their descent, with some bouncing on the runway upon touchdown, while others were forced to abort landings and try again.

Wind speeds at Narita peaked at 19.5 meters per second. As a result, two inbound flights from Guam and China were unable to land and had to be diverted to Haneda and Kansai airports.

The strong winds were caused by a slow-moving cold vortex, bringing what forecasters described as a "spring storm" across the country.

In Tokyo, the city recorded its strongest winds of the year so far, with a maximum instantaneous wind speed of 20.7 meters per second. Near the Onarimon intersection along Hibiya-dori, within sight of Tokyo Tower, a roadside tree was blown over at its roots, prompting traffic restrictions.

At around 2:30 p.m., a witness reported the fallen tree. There were no injuries or damage to vehicles, but authorities believe the incident was linked to the strong winds.

Source: FNN

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