TOKYO — Heavy rain and crashing surf were striking western Japan as a powerful typhoon neared its Pacific coast Tuesday, disrupting train service and air travel.
Typhoon Jebi, heading north, was forecast to make landfall later in the day and cross the main island of Honshu. The Japan Meteorological Agency said it had sustained winds of 160 kilometers per hour with gusts to 215 kph.
More than 600 domestic flights have been cancelled, according to Japanese broadcaster NHK. High-speed bullet train service was suspended between Osaka and Hiroshima cities.
In Osaka, the Universal Studios Japan theme park and U.S. consulate were both closed. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe cancelled a scheduled trip to Kyushu, Japan’s southernmost main island, to oversee the government’s response to the typhoon, Kyodo News service said.
