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Many parts of Japan are being brought to a standstill due to heavy wind and rain as a powerful typhoon nears Tokyo.
Thousands of households have lost power and Japan’s two largest airlines have suspended many flights.
More than 174 domestic flights were affected nationwide, state broadcaster NHK said on Sunday.
Typhoon Phanfone has killed at least one person, a US airman based on Okinawa who was washed out to sea.
The storm, with winds of up to 112 mph, also forced the suspension of the search for people missing after last week’s volcanic eruption.
Typhoon Phanfone was downgraded from an earlier status of a super typhoon, but the Japan Meteorological Agency warned that it was still a dangerous storm, the BBC reported.
The typhoon made landfall this morning local time near the central city of Hamamatsu.
The US airman was one of three personnel swept away by high waves whipped up by the typhoon off southern Okinawa island, where the US has a large military base. The remaining two are still missing.
A university student who was surfing off the seas of Kanagawa Prefecture, south of Tokyo, was also missing, NHK reported. It said at least 10 people had been injured and 9,500 houses were without power.
The typhoon is moving from off Japan’s southwestern coast and is expected to reach Tokyo today.
The storm is expected to deposit about 100mm of rain on Tokyo over 24 hours, according to the Transport Ministry website.
Heavy rain delayed the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix yesterday, and French driver Jules Bianchi was rushed to hospital after losing control and crashing in the wet conditions.