Summary

  • Powerful Typhoon Dujuan is battering Tokyo and is forecast to bring record rainfall - watch live pictures from Japan by clicking the button above

  • More than 1.9 million people across six prefectures are under evacuation orders, with 50,000 households without power

  • In Kanagawa, firefighters fear a woman has been buried alive after a landslide crushed a house, while a man in Chiba was taken to hospital after being trapped while working to clear debris

  • Some 300 flights have been cancelled and some train services suspended

  • Dujuan has sustained winds of 130km/h (80.8mph) and gusts of up to 194km/h

  • The storm is the latest in a wave of storms in the Pacific, made more intense by this year's "super El Niño", which has warmed the ocean and fuelled the formation of storms

  • Have you been affected by the typhoon? Get in touch

Strong winds and rain sweep Tokyo as Japan hit by Typhoon Dujuan

Live Reporting

Edited by Kieran Kelly and Angus Thompson, with Kurumi Mori and Chie Kobayashi reporting from Tokyo

  1. Rain lets up as government downgrades warnings

    Kurumi Mori
    Tokyo correspondent

    Pedestrians wait at Shibuya crossing under heavy rainfall triggered by Typhoon Dujuan in Tokyo, Japan, 21 September 2026EPA

    It’s night time here in Tokyo.

    We had the height of the storm with the typhoon passing by the Kanto region in the past hour but finally we’ve seen the rain let up after a full day of downpour.

    I’m no longer hearing the rain battering the windows.

    The government downgraded alert levels too. Tokyo was at a level 4 out of the highest level 5, but it's recently been downgraded to level 2, which is an advisory.

    It’s been a long and very wet day here in Tokyo to kick off Silver Week, which is our string of public holidays.

    Residents usually enjoy travels and going to events but this year's 25th typhoon has unfortunately thwarted many plans.

    The typhoon seems to have passed through and hit Chiba prefecture the hardest, which is located just east of Tokyo.

    Even though the rain has let up, there may be reports of damage from today.

    We likely won’t know the extent until the morning as it’s completely dark now. But we’ve seen videos on social media of some cars under water and smaller landslides.

    The typhoon also continues to travel along the Pacific coast, toward northern Japan. So we’ll have to watch for any damage there too.

  2. How are climate change and El Niño affecting typhoons?

    Mark Poynting
    Climate reporter

    A satellite view shows a typhoon Dujuan approaching JapanReuters

    A satellite view shows Typhoon Dujuan approaching Japan

    Some research suggests that Japan has become more exposed to destructive storms in recent decades.

    But climate change is not thought to be increasing the number of these storms globally, and could even make them less common in some regions.

    As temperatures rise, typhoons that do form are likely to become more intense on average, however.

    Warmer ocean waters mean storms can pick up more energy, leading to higher wind speeds.

    And because a warmer atmosphere can hold more moisture, these storms could also bring heavier rainfall.

    This year, El Niño - the natural weather phenomenon bringing warmer water to parts of the tropical Pacific - is another factor.

    El Niño doesn’t have a clear effect on the total number of typhoons, but it can affect where typhoons form, their strength and which countries they hit.

    Some El Niño events may expose Japan to stronger typhoons, for example.

  3. Residents caught in flooding and high winds as Typhoon Dujuan buffets Japan

    A boy cycles through a flooded street as Typhoon Dujuan brings heavy rain, in Ichikawa, Chiba Prefecture, Japan, September 21, 2026 in this photo taken by KyodoKyodo via Reuters

    In Ichikawa, Chiba province, heavy rainfall has flooded roads

    People wade through a flooded street as Typhoon Dujuan brings heavy rain, in Ichikawa, Chiba Prefecture, Japan, September 21, 2026 in this photo taken by KyodoKyodo via Reuters

    While authorities have urged people to either evacuate or seek higher ground, many still need to run errands

    A young woman protects herself from heavy rain and wind triggered by Typhoon Dujuan with an umbrella near Shinjuku station in TokyoReuters

    There are warnings in place for Tokyo, with strong winds battering those who venture outdoors

  4. Typhoon Dujuan prompts mass evacuation order and 'threat to life' warning

    Wedaeli Chibelushi
    Live reporter

    Pedestrians, holding umbrellas, wait at Shibuya crossing under heavy rainfallEPA/Shutterstock

    Residents of Tokyo have been braving the wet weather as the country braces for what could be record-breaking levels of rainfall.

    It's just gone 21:00 in Tokyo (13:00 BST), with parts of Japan grappling with the effects of typhoon Dujuan:

  5. Landslide-hit area requests help from military

    Chie Kobayashi
    Reporting from Japan

    Two members of Japan's defence forces look on, wearing military gearAnadolu via Getty Images

    Disaster relief is one of the defence force's responsibilities

    Local authorities in Kanagawa prefecture have requested that the military deploy personnel in the city of Miura, following several landslides.

    Local official Akiyoshi Suzuki tells me the military have specifically been asked to help with disaster relief.

    Residents have been told to evacuate Miura, as it is currently under a level four landslide warning.

  6. Nearly two million people placed under evacuation orders
    Breaking

    A further 300,000 people have been urged to evacuate because of Typhoon Dujuan.

    In an update to its figures, Japan's ministry of internal affairs says 1,908,645 people were ordered to evacuate in six prefectures - Ibaraki, Chiba, Tokyo, Kanagawa, Shizuoka and Saitama.

    The evacuations are not mandatory.

  7. Tokyo residents urged to avoid basements

    Tokyo's disaster prevention agency is warning residents to avoid basements, with the area under a level 3 heavy rain warning.

    In two cartoons posted on social media, the agency explains: "Basements are prone to flooding, and since you may not be able to see outside, there is a risk of being trapped."

    Water can "rush" into a basement at any moment so residents should be "extremely careful", the warning adds.

    The disaster prevention agency also says to look out for manhole covers, which may dislodge and pose a danger during flooding.

    A woman crosses a street in heavy rain as a result of Typhoon Dujuan in TokyoReuters

    Tokyo is under a heavy rain warning

  8. More than 50,000 households without power - Tokyo's power company

    As many as 50,890 households in Japan are without power, according to Tokyo's power company (TEPCO Power Grid).

    Chiba prefecture is the worse affected area, with 41,130 households currently impacted.

    Other regions affected by power cuts include Tochigi, Saitama, Kanagawa, Yamanashi and Shizuoka.

  9. Man in his 50s rescued after getting trapped at landslide site - fire department

    Chie Kobayashi
    Reporting from Japan

    Sodegaura City Fire Department in Chiba prefecture has told the BBC a man in his 50s has been rescued after getting trapped while working to clear debris at a landslide site.

    The department says at 15:00 local time, the worker and heavy machinery fell into a bamboo thicket.

    He was then rescued approximately three hours later and has been taken to hospital, an official adds.

  10. In pictures: Typhoon Dujuan grounds hundreds of flights

    Hundreds of flights out of Japan have been cancelled as Typhoon Dujuan is forecast to bring record-breaking levels of rainfall.

    Japan Airlines have cancelled 135 flights, while All Nippon Airways called off 140 of its flights.

    The storm has led to power outages and authorities have ordered more than 1.6 million residents to evacuate across five prefectures, including the capital Tokyo.

    Passengers wait inside a terminal at Tokyo's Haneda Airport amid widespread flight cancellations as Typhoon No. 25 approaches the Kanto region, in Tokyo, Japan, September 21, 2026.Getty Images
    A traveler is seen checking is smartphone inside Tokyo's Haneda Airport as hundreds of flights are canceled due to the approaching Typhoon No. 25, in Tokyo, Japan, September 21, 2026.Getty Images
    Flight information screens shows canceled flights at Tokyo's Haneda Airport as Typhoon No. 25 disrupts air traffic, in Tokyo, Japan, September 21, 2026Getty Images
    People pictured sat down at the airport waiting area. They are pictured with suitcases and bags.Reuters

  11. Residents in Sodegaura city urged to get above second floor

    Kurumi Mori
    Tokyo correspondent

    In Sodegaura city, in the Chiba prefecture, authorities have issued a level five alert - the highest one - for about 40,000 residents.

    Residents have been told to "protect their lives" and urged to get above the second floor, away from slopes.

    Chiba prefecture is 39 km (24 miles) east of Tokyo.

  12. Evacuation orders in place for 1.6 million people

    Kurumi Mori and Chie Kobayashi
    Reporting from Japan

    More than 1.6 million people have been told to evacuate from their homes due to Typhoon Dujuan.

    Japan's ministry of internal affairs says 1,674,084 people in Ibaraki, Chiba, Tokyo, Kanagawa and Shizuoka are subject to evacuation orders.

    The evacuations are not mandatory.

  13. What we know so far about Typhoon Dujuan

    Warnings: Japan's meteorological agency has issued a level five emergency warning - the highest level - for flooding and landslides in Oshima town and parts of Izu islands, which are south of Tokyo. Areas in the northern Izu islands, Chiba, Kanagawa and Shizuoka are at a level four alert, according to the weather agency.

    Storm's journey: The storm has passed through the Izu archipelago and will continue to head north-eastwards, parallel to the coast of Honshu, over the next 24 hours.

    Winds: Typhoon Dujuan - the region's 25th typhoon this year - is producing sustained winds at its centre of 130km/h (80mph), with gusts up to 194km/h (121mph).

    Rainfall: Rain is forecast to be heavy and persistent for the rest of Monday, with up to 250mm (10in) around the Kanto region. The storm has already triggered landslides there.

    Typhoon's impact: There are power outages in about 4,000 households in the Kanto region. A resident near the Meguro River tells the BBC he will be staying put on his third-floor apartment as water levels in the river swell significantly.

    A map graphic showing the expected path of a typhoon in Japan, with dotted lines and red circles, and text which says "00:00 Mon", "06:00 Tues", and "18:00 Tues".

  14. Woman in her 60s believed to have been buried alive - fire department

    Chie Kobayashi
    Reporting from Japan

    Yokosuka City Fire Department in Kanagawa prefecture has told the BBC they received a call from a man reporting his house had been crushed by the landslide.

    A woman in her 60s, who lives in the house, may have been have been swept away and is believed to have been buried alive, says the department's Yasuhiro Kaneko.

    Kaneko adds firefighters are carrying out rescue operations, noting it is still raining heavily at the scene.

    Yokosuka is a city about one and a half hours south of Tokyo.

  15. Have you been affected by the typhoon? Get in touch

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  16. Meteorological agency warns of 'imminent threat to life'

    Chie Kobayashi
    Reporting from Japan

    Japan's Meteorological Agency says it is "extremely likely that some form of disaster has already occurred in landslide-prone areas and similar zones" and urges people to ensure their safety "immediately", warning "there is an imminent threat to life".

    "There are areas in the northern Izu Islands, Chiba prefecture, Kanagawa prefecture and Shizuoka prefecture where the situation corresponds to Alert Level 4," the agency's chief forecaster Takuya Hosomi says in a news conference.

    "Please check the disaster risk in the municipality where you are currently located and ensure you evacuate before the municipality issues a Level 4 evacuation order."

    It is believed that the typhoon "developed more than expected" because its movement slowed slightly in the waters off the Izu Islands, where sea surface temperatures are high, Hosomi adds.

    Rough waves hit the coast as Typhoon Dujuan approaches, in Kamakura, Kanagawa PrefectureReuters

    Rough waves hit the coast in Kanagawa prefecture

  17. Chiba prefecture warns residents of heavier rains to come

    Authorities in Chiba prefecture have warned residents to brace for heavier rains starting on Monday night - which is a few hours from now local time.

    Typhoon Dujuan is expected to barrel past waters off Chiba prefecture.

    Level Four alerts for heavy rain and landslides have been issued in many municipalities across the prefecture, authorities say on social media.

    "Please take actions to ensure your personal safety," the post adds.

  18. Tokyo just emerged from a heatwave this summer

    A man holds an umbrella while walking on the street on a sunny dayGetty Images

    Tokyo is being lashed with rain as Typhoon Dujuan nears.

    But it was just months ago that the city - and other parts of Japan - was battling an unprecedented heatwave.

    In late July, temperatures in parts of the country climbed past 40C and tens of thousands of people were sent to hospital for heatstroke. Several lions in a Tokyo zoo also died as a result of the unbearable heat.

    Since then, however, the heat has dissipated as rain broke over Tokyo and its surrounding region.

    Last month, tropical storm Chan-hom, made landfall in southern Ibaraki Prefecture, northeast of Tokyo, bringing powerful winds and rain.

  19. Typhoon Dujuan producing gusts of up to 194km/h

    Sarah Keith-Lucas
    BBC Weather

    Typhoon Dujuan has just passed through the Izu Archipelago in the south of Japan, and will continue to track north-eastwards, parallel to the coast of Honshu over the next 24 hours.

    The storm is currently producing sustained winds around its centre of 130km/h, with gusts up to 194km/h.

    Whilst the centre of the storm will remain well offshore, damaging wind gusts on the east coast of Honshu are still expected to reach over 90km/h, and around 75km/h in the centre of Tokyo.

    Rain will be heavy and persistent throughout the rest of Monday, with totals up to 250mm (10 in) around the Kanto Region. This is enough to bring a high risk of flooding and landslides.

    Map graphic

  20. Meguro River swelling significantly, says resident

    Kurumi Mori
    Tokyo correspondent

    A resident in Meguro, a Tokyo ward, tells me he’s been keeping an eye on the water level of the Meguro River, which runs through neighbourhoods to Tokyo Bay and spans nearly 8 km.

    He’s been getting mobile alerts all day about staying away from the water and urging him to evacuate.

    When he went to Shibuya today, he noticed that buses and trains were quite empty.

    He was wearing boots and used an umbrella, he says, but experienced such heavy rain that water seeped in through his shoe's stitching.

    On his bus ride home he saw the river swell up significantly compared to just hours earlier.

    He's now got home and says he will be staying at his third floor apartment until the storm passes.