"I'm Scared, Please Don't Go to Japan Right Now"... Tourists on High Alert as Deaths Occur and Trains Halt

Record-Breaking Rainfall Observed South of Tokyo

Woman in Her 60s Dies in Fukushima

Growing Anxiety Among Domestic Travelers

As record-breaking heavy rain continues to sweep across the Japanese archipelago, cases of flooding and river overflows are being reported in various regions, ranging from the Izu Islands near Tokyo to the Tokai region in central Honshu and Fukushima Prefecture. In the Izu Islands, total rainfall reached 757.5 mm over a 48-hour period. In Fukushima Prefecture, there have also been casualties, such as a woman in her 60s who died after being trapped in a flooded vehicle. Disruptions to transportation, school closures, and evacuation orders have been triggered, causing chaos for travelers visiting Japan.

Roads flooded in Nagoya due to heavy rain on the 8th. Photo by Reuters and Yonhap News Agency

Record-Breaking Rainfall Hits Izu Islands... Highest-Level Alerts Issued

According to the Japan Meteorological Agency and other sources on the 8th, the 48-hour maximum rainfall in Oshima, an Izu Island located south of Tokyo, was 757.5 mm. This is the highest 48-hour rainfall ever recorded in Oshima during the month of September.

In Niijima, rainfall over 48 hours reached 569 mm, while Kitano-yama in Oshima and Toshima recorded 539.5 mm and 513 mm respectively. Due to this record-setting precipitation, parts of the Izu Islands were issued the highest-level disaster warning in Japan, a Level 5 special landslide warning, with residents ordered to take immediate safety precautions. There were also casualties. In Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture, a woman in her 60s who was in a vehicle in a flooded underground road was rescued and taken to the hospital, but ultimately passed away.

The heavy rain also disrupted the capital region's transportation networks. Major train lines such as the JR Yamanote Line, Chuo Line, and Sobu Line temporarily reduced service before returning to normal; however, some sections of the Joban Line, Suigun Line, and Hachiko Line were suspended. All Nippon Airways (ANA) canceled two flights between Haneda Airport and Hachijojima in the Izu Islands.

Nagoya Submerged... School Closures Due to River Flooding

The damage in the Tokai region of central Honshu was also extensive. In Aichi and Gifu Prefectures, strong rain clouds developed due to the influence of a stationary front and a tropical depression, and a linear precipitation zone formed, leading to intense downpours.

A Level 5 special flood warning was issued for the Shonai River, which flows through Aichi and Gifu Prefectures. The Japan Meteorological Agency stated that there is a very high likelihood that disasters have already occurred in these regions and urged people to secure their safety immediately.

In Nagoya, 104.5 mm of torrential rain fell in just one hour by 5 p.m. on the 8th. According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, this is the highest hourly rainfall ever recorded in Nagoya.

Heavy Rain in Nagoya, Japan. Reuters Yonhap News

The rapidly rising Ueda River overflowed, flooding roads and submerging vehicles. As the heavy rain continued, all public schools and kindergartens in Nagoya were temporarily closed.

With the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games set to open soon, leaks were found in some stadium facilities, and athletes who had arrived in Japan ahead of time and were staying in accommodations were also issued temporary evacuation orders. In addition to Nagoya, rainfall was measured at 51 mm per hour in Nanbu-cho, Yamanashi Prefecture, 40 mm in Hachioji City, Tokyo, and 38.5 mm in Koga City, Ibaraki Prefecture.

Heavy Rain Forecast Through the 10th... Travelers on High Alert

This heavy rainfall has been attributed to unstable atmospheric conditions caused by warm and humid air masses brought in as Typhoon No. 24 "Krovanh" weakened, with the autumn rain front moving north. While the typhoon was downgraded to a tropical depression on the morning of the 7th, it combined with the front to produce strong rain clouds over a wide area.

The Japan Meteorological Agency is warning of the possibility of further damage. By 6 a.m. on the 10th, the forecasted 24-hour cumulative rainfall is expected to reach up to 200 mm in the Tokai and Kinki regions, 150 mm in Shikoku, 120 mm in the Kanto, Koshin, and Hokuriku regions, and 80 mm in Tohoku.

The agency also stated that as the tropical depression moves northeast, combining with the front, rain is expected to continue from western Japan through Tohoku. Especially in the Tokai, Kinki, Shikoku, Kanto, and Koshin regions, there is a possibility of rain reaching warning levels.

Given that the soil and rivers are already heavily saturated from the record cumulative rainfall, the risks of landslides, lowland flooding, and river overflows are unlikely to subside even if rainfall temporarily weakens. In fact, observations by the Japan Meteorological Agency confirm that record rainfall has been repeatedly documented in multiple regions since September began.

As a result, posts such as "I canceled my trip because I'm worried about the heavy rain," "Even if I go, I don't think I'll be able to get around," "This month is really dangerous," and "How can I cancel?" are appearing on domestic travel communities. With news of fatalities caused by the torrential rain being reported daily, more people are reconsidering or postponing their plans to travel to Japan.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.