TOKYO - Typhoon No. 15 (Chan-hom) began causing significant disruption to Japan's Obon holiday travel on August 11, with ANA canceling 58 flights serving Haneda and Narita airports, JAL canceling four flights, and JR East suspending some services on the Joban Line as the storm approached eastern Japan.
The disruption intensified during the morning after airlines had initially expected most flights to operate. ANA said 58 flights were canceled, including services linking Haneda with Fukuoka and Hiroshima and Narita with Sapporo and Osaka. Some departures and arrivals at Narita were canceled from noon, while cancellations at Haneda were concentrated from around 3 p.m. onward.
JAL had canceled four flights by late morning, with the impact also centered on Haneda and Narita. The airline said at 11 a.m. that Typhoon No. 15 was affecting some flights serving Hanamaki, Sendai, Yamagata, Haneda and Narita, with further delays and cancellations possible depending on the storm's movement.
JAL is allowing passengers booked on flights serving airports expected to be affected by the typhoon to change or refund eligible tickets without the usual fees. The airline urged travelers to check individual flight information as operating decisions continue to be made according to weather conditions.
ANA has also warned that conditions at Sendai Airport could force additional cancellations depending on wind and weather conditions. The airline's latest operating information says all flights at Narita identified as being affected by the storm have been canceled for August 11, while numerous Haneda flights have also been canceled.
Rail services were also beginning to be affected by early afternoon.
JR East said some regular Joban Line trains between Mito in Ibaraki Prefecture and Iwaki in Fukushima Prefecture had been canceled because of the approaching typhoon. In addition, Hitachi limited express services No. 13, 21, 22 and 30 are suspended between Iwaki and Sendai. JR East said no substitute bus services would be provided for the canceled limited express sections.
The disruption represents an expansion from the plan announced earlier, when JR East had said only that Hitachi services between Iwaki and Sendai would be suspended during the afternoon.
Most major JR East routes in the Tokyo metropolitan area were still operating normally shortly after 1 p.m. The Yamanote, Keihin-Tohoku, Utsunomiya, Tokaido, Yokosuka, Chuo and other major commuter lines were listed as operating normally at that time.
JR East has nevertheless warned that the Karasuyama and Nikko lines could experience delays or suspensions from August 11 into August 12 depending on the typhoon's impact.
The company is also warning of possible disruption from the first trains on August 12 on several routes in Chiba Prefecture. The Sobu Main Line, Uchibo Line, Kashima Line, Kururi Line, Sotobo Line, Togane Line and Narita Line could experience delays, destination changes or suspensions because of heavy rain and strong winds.
Shinkansen services had avoided major disruption by early afternoon. JR East's latest information did not indicate a broad suspension of its Shinkansen network, despite earlier warnings that the Tohoku Shinkansen could face delays or cancellations depending on rainfall and wind conditions.
The Tokaido Shinkansen was also not subject to a large-scale planned suspension in the latest information, leaving the most serious rail disruption concentrated along the Joban corridor running north from Ibaraki through Fukushima toward Miyagi.
The timing is particularly disruptive because August 11 falls during one of the busiest periods of the annual Obon travel season, when large numbers of people are traveling from major metropolitan areas to hometowns and vacation destinations.
Road operators are also preparing for possible closures.
NEXCO East has warned that heavy rain associated with Typhoon No. 15 could force highway closures across the Kanto region between August 11 and August 12. One section specifically identified as being at risk is the Ken-O Expressway between Inashiki Interchange in Ibaraki Prefecture and Daiei Junction in Chiba Prefecture, where a closure could become necessary from around midnight on August 12 if rainfall reaches regulatory limits.
The company said closures could also be imposed without advance notice if weather conditions deteriorate rapidly or accidents occur, and urged drivers to check the latest road information before departure.
Weathernews has also identified the Higashi-Kanto Expressway and Ken-O Expressway as routes where strong rain could first lead to speed restrictions before escalating to closures as rainfall accumulates. Highways elsewhere in Kanto, Tohoku, Koshin, Tokai and Kinki could also be affected depending on the storm's subsequent westward path.
The transport impact is expected to worsen from the afternoon into the evening as Typhoon No. 15 approaches the Pacific coast of eastern Honshu. The storm has been following an unusual westward course toward Fukushima and Ibaraki, raising the possibility of landfall in an area rarely struck directly by typhoons moving from east to west.
Air travelers using Haneda, Narita and airports in southern Tohoku face the greatest immediate risk, while rail passengers traveling along the Joban Line between Ibaraki, Fukushima and Miyagi are already encountering cancellations.
Further disruption remains possible later on August 11 as rainfall and winds intensify, particularly if the typhoon crosses eastern Honshu and continues westward overnight. Airlines, JR companies and expressway operators are advising travelers to check the latest operating information immediately before beginning their journeys.
Source: TBS
