Typhoon Dujuan: Japan urges two million to evacuate

Japan’s Meteorological Agency issued an urgent warning on Tuesday, saying Typhoon Dujuan is on a direct path toward the country and poses an “imminent threat to life.” The agency ordered nearly two million residents in six prefectures – including Tokyo, Kanagawa, Chiba, Saitama, Ibaraki and Tochigi – to evacuate as the storm approaches the coastline later today.

The warning comes after a month of unusually warm sea temperatures in the Pacific, which have helped fuel stronger storms this season. Dujuan, a Category 3 system with sustained winds of 150 km/h, formed on Monday near the Mariana Islands and has accelerated northward under a strong subtropical ridge. Japan has already seen a series of typhoons this year, and the government is keen to avoid the kind of flooding that crippled parts of the country after Typhoon Hagibis in 2019. Experts say climate‑related shifts in ocean heat are making such rapid intensification more common, raising the stakes for densely populated regions.

Local officials have opened more than 300 evacuation centers and deployed the Self‑Defense Forces to assist with transport and supply distribution. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said the government is “fully mobilised” to protect citizens and will provide food, water and medical aid to those displaced. Early forecasts predict up to 300 mm of rain in the Tokyo metropolitan area, with storm surges that could breach low‑lying coastal defenses. Insurance companies have warned of potential claims running into billions of yen if the storm hits at full strength.

The next 24 hours will determine the scale of the impact. Authorities will monitor the storm’s track and may expand evacuation orders if Dujuan veers closer to the capital. Residents are urged to stay tuned to official alerts, stock up on essentials and avoid travel on major highways. The outcome will test Japan’s disaster‑response framework and could shape future policies on climate adaptation and urban planning.