TOKYO - Typhoon Jangmi (Typhoon No. 6) swept across Japan on June 3rd, bringing record-breaking rainfall, widespread flooding, landslides, transport disruptions, and powerful winds, while prompting Tokyo's first-ever issuance of a Level 4 danger alert under the country's new weather warning system.
The storm also exposed challenges surrounding evacuation behavior, as many residents chose not to leave their homes despite official warnings affecting more than 1.6 million people across the Tokyo metropolitan area.
The large typhoon approached the Kanto region after battering Okinawa, Kyushu, Shikoku, and western Japan. From before dawn, extremely heavy rain fell across the Tokai and Kanto regions, causing flooding, infrastructure damage and transportation disruptions.
In Mie Prefecture, some areas recorded rainfall totals equivalent to an entire month's precipitation in a single day. Kumano City received 376 millimeters of rain in 24 hours, while Ise City recorded 210.5 millimeters. Owase City was hit particularly hard, receiving 535.5 millimeters of rain, the highest June rainfall ever recorded there.
At around 2 a.m. in Kumano, reporters described conditions as nearly impossible to endure.
"Strong winds are pushing against my body, and the rain is blowing sideways so hard that it's difficult to keep my eyes open," one reporter said.
Rising rivers and flash flooding quickly followed. The Kumozu River and Kumozu Furukawa River in Tsu City became the first rivers in the Tokai region to trigger the newly introduced Level 4 Flood Danger Warning under Japan's revised disaster warning framework.
Along the Hase River, a tributary of the Kumozu River, muddy torrents surged downstream and flooded nearby roads. Although authorities said the river had not officially overflowed, water levels rose high enough to inundate surrounding areas.
A nearby curry restaurant was among the businesses affected.
"It looked like water had accumulated all the way in front of the shop. It was frightening," an employee said.
Floodwaters also submerged farmland and stranded vehicles. In one area of Tsu City, a tow truck was dispatched to recover a vehicle that had become trapped in a flooded ditch.
Infrastructure damage was reported across Mie Prefecture. Part of National Route 260 in Minamiise Town collapsed after the storm, cutting a vital transport link for local residents.
"This is our only road. We really need it restored as quickly as possible," one resident said.
Elsewhere in the prefecture, road collapses, damaged building walls and flooded neighborhoods were reported as emergency crews assessed the damage.
In Ise City, the Isuzu River, which flows near Ise Grand Shrine, swelled dramatically during the morning before gradually receding later in the day. Businesses in the popular Okage Yokocho district were left cleaning mud from storage areas after floodwaters reached their buildings.
"The water had risen to just below the windows around 7 a.m. After that it gradually receded," an employee at a local restaurant said.
At Tokyo's Izu Oshima island, powerful winds whipped up large waves that crashed against seawalls. In Yokohama, strong gusts drove rain sideways through city streets. Outside JR Sakuragicho Station, rainwater was blown across the pavement by fierce winds, while normally crowded pedestrian areas were noticeably quieter.
One commuter said their umbrella had been turned inside out five times during the day.
In Tokyo's Odaiba district, winds intensified suddenly around 2:30 p.m., forcing some students to abandon their umbrellas entirely as they were drenched by the storm.
Central Tokyo recorded 173.5 millimeters of rainfall over a 12-hour period, the highest June total since records began. Roads were submerged in the Kasumigaseki district, while rivers throughout the capital swelled rapidly.
In Setagaya Ward, the banks of the Nogawa River disappeared beneath rising floodwaters. Other rivers, including the Meguro River and Zenpukuji River, reached dangerous levels and temporarily approached flood-risk thresholds.
Authorities issued Level 4 flood danger warnings for the Zenpukuji River, Meguro River, Kanda River, Nogawa River and Sengawa River. Level 4 is the second-highest level on Japan's five-stage warning system and requires all residents in hazardous areas to evacuate.
In Shinagawa Ward, rising water levels along the Tategawa River led to the issuance of Tokyo's first Level 4 heavy rain danger alert under the revised weather warning framework. Evacuation orders were subsequently issued across the entire ward.
The storm also caused significant damage elsewhere across the region.
In Hiratsuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, a large zelkova tree snapped in a university parking lot under the force of the wind. In Kawasaki City, where a linear rainband briefly formed, a golf driving range along the Tama River floodplain became submerged beneath standing water.
Reporters at the Tama River described practice facilities inundated by floodwaters after hours of intense rainfall.
In Hokota, Ibaraki Prefecture, roads were flooded and convenience store parking lots disappeared under water. Earlier in the day, strong winds toppled trees onto power lines, leaving them hanging precariously above roads.
In Ome, western Tokyo, rainwater flooded a municipal water treatment facility and submerged pumping equipment. Tokyo authorities warned that up to 1,800 households in surrounding areas could experience water outages or reduced water pressure while emergency repairs were carried out.
Flooding also struck commercial areas. In Shimoda, Shizuoka Prefecture, a convenience store was inundated after water levels rose dramatically within 10 to 20 minutes. Employees said floodwater poured through gaps beneath the doors, coinciding with high tide, leaving staff scrambling to remove water from the building.
Landslides were also reported. In Kawazu, Shizuoka Prefecture, mud and debris flowed onto railway tracks near a crossing about 500 meters from Imaihama-Kaigan Station on the Izukyu Line. Although train services had already been suspended for the entire day because of the approaching typhoon, preventing injuries, there is still no estimate for when the affected section can reopen.
Floodwaters threatened homes along the Kozagawa River in Wakayama Prefecture, prompting authorities to issue the highest Level 5 flood emergency warning after the river overflowed.
The storm caused widespread transportation disruption across eastern Japan.
JR East suspended numerous conventional rail services from the first trains of the day, including portions of the Tokaido Line, Sobu Main Line, Shonan-Shinjuku Line and other routes serving the Tokyo metropolitan area. Many commuters and students were forced to alter their travel plans.
One office worker said they had brought a change of clothes because they expected to become soaked during their journey.
A university student attending job interviews said they left home about two hours earlier than usual and were worried about whether trains would be running when it was time to return.
The severe weather also exposed weaknesses in public evacuation behavior.
Despite evacuation orders affecting more than 1.6 million residents across Tokyo, Kanagawa and Chiba prefectures at one point, shelters remained largely empty.
Reporters visiting a voluntary evacuation center in Shinagawa Ward found no evacuees present. Ward officials said only one resident had briefly used the facility before returning home.
Shinagawa's evacuation guidance instructed residents in dangerous locations to evacuate immediately, while those already in safe locations were advised they did not need to move to designated shelters. Some residents said the distinction left them uncertain about whether evacuation was actually necessary.
Takehiko Yamamura of the Disaster Reduction and Human Renovation Institution said the response highlighted concerns for future disasters.
"Because there was no major flooding and relatively little damage, most people did not evacuate," Yamamura said. "If people ignore future danger alerts, they may fail to evacuate when a truly life-threatening situation occurs. Authorities should carefully examine the timing, communication methods and accuracy of the warnings issued during Typhoon No. 6."
The Cabinet Office's disaster management division urged residents to understand the relationship between their homes, nearby rivers and local terrain before emergencies occur and to incorporate disaster preparedness into their daily lives.
Although Typhoon Jangmi is expected to move away from Japan later on June 3rd, forecasters warned that swollen rivers, unstable slopes and saturated ground could continue to pose risks even after the rain subsides, and authorities are urging residents to remain alert for landslides, flooding and other storm-related hazards.
Source: FNN
