NAHA - Transport services were gradually returning to normal on August 9 after Typhoon No. 13 caused widespread cancellations and shutdowns across Okinawa, although air travel remained disrupted as airlines worked to restore schedules and accommodate passengers stranded during the opening days of Japan's busy Obon holiday period.
The large and very strong Typhoon No. 13 was moving gradually away from Okinawa after bringing violent winds, high waves and extensive transport disruption to the prefecture.
At 5 p.m. on August 8, the typhoon was located west-northwest of Kumejima and was moving west-southwest at 15 kilometers per hour. It had a central atmospheric pressure of 945 hectopascals, with maximum sustained winds of 45 meters per second and maximum gusts of 60 meters per second.
Storm warnings for the Okinawa main island and Miyakojima region were lifted during the afternoon of August 8 as conditions improved. However, storm warnings remained in effect for Kumejima, the Kerama Islands and the Yonaguni area, where authorities continued to call for caution against violent winds and high waves.
Air travel remained the sector most affected by the storm. Airline counter operations at Naha Airport resumed on August 8, but all domestic flights at the airport remained canceled for the day because of the lingering effects of the typhoon.
Airlines were expected to resume services progressively from August 9, while arranging additional flights to accommodate passengers whose travel had been disrupted by cancellations on August 7 and August 8.
ANA added extra services between Tokyo's Haneda Airport and Naha on August 9 as it worked to clear the passenger backlog. The airline also continued special arrangements allowing passengers booked on affected Okinawa services to change or refund tickets without the usual fees.
Solaseed Air likewise scheduled an additional Haneda-Naha service on August 9 as airlines sought to restore capacity following two days of severe disruption.
Japan Airlines warned that flights serving Naha, Miyako, Ishigaki and several smaller airports in Okinawa and the Amami region could still face delays, cancellations, diversions or returns to their departure airports depending on weather conditions. Flights serving Yonaguni remained particularly vulnerable because of the typhoon's position west of Okinawa.
The recovery followed extensive cancellations across the prefecture. ANA, JAL, Solaseed Air, Jetstar and other carriers canceled large numbers of flights on August 7 and August 8 as the typhoon crossed the region, leaving tens of thousands of passengers affected during one of the busiest travel periods of the year.
More than 600 flights serving Okinawa had been scheduled for cancellation between August 6 and August 9 as the storm approached and passed through the region, affecting more than 90,000 passengers.
Ground transportation was recovering more quickly.
The Okinawa Urban Monorail, known as Yui Rail, resumed operations at 5 p.m. on August 8 after services were suspended because of the typhoon. The line connects Naha Airport with central Naha and Urasoe and is an important transport link for both residents and tourists.
Route buses across Okinawa's main island, which had suspended operations because of the storm, were scheduled to return to normal service from the first departures on August 9.
Road access also improved substantially. The Okinawa Expressway between Naha and Kyoda and the Naha Airport Expressway reopened at 7 p.m. on August 8 after being closed because of strong winds and heavy rain.
Restrictions were also lifted on major bridges in the Miyakojima area, including the Ikema, Irabu and Kurima bridges, following safety inspections. Elevated roads and coastal routes elsewhere in southern Okinawa were also gradually reopened as weather conditions improved.
Elsewhere in Japan, the country's major Shinkansen network was operating without widespread weather-related disruption on August 9, although trains were crowded as the Obon holiday travel rush gathered pace.
The Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen between Tokyo and Hakata were operating largely according to schedule. Passenger demand remained particularly heavy on outbound services from major metropolitan areas as travelers headed home or to holiday destinations.
All Nozomi services on the Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen are operating with reserved seating only during the peak Obon period from August 7 through August 16, while other Shinkansen routes are also experiencing heavy demand.
Rail operators had expected trains departing the Tokyo metropolitan area during the morning and early afternoon of August 9 to be particularly crowded, with somewhat greater seat availability later in the day.
