User:HurricaneParrot/sandbox/List of typhoons in Japan (2000-present)



Japan is an island country in East Asia, located in the northwest Pacific Ocean. It is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north toward the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south. Part of the Ring of Fire, Japan spans an archipelago of 6852 islands covering 377,975 sqkm; the five main islands are Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu, and Okinawa. The country experience over seven to eight typhoons affecting the Okinawa Prefecture, while three of them can reach the main Japanese islands. The typhoons on the Ryukyu Islands can be seen here.

The typhoon season in Japan ranges from May to November, with the peak in August and September. Climatologically, in the Northwest Pacific basin, most tropical cyclones develop between May and October. This article includes any tropical cyclone of any intensity that affected the main Japanese islands from 2000 onwards.

2000

 * July 8-9, 2000 - Typhoon Kirogi wreaked havoc on Japan with torrential rain and high winds, killing five people and causing 15 billion (2000 JPY) in damage. Flooding inundated nearly 1,300 homes in Tokyo, and high winds knocked out power to approximately 20,000 people. A landslide on Kozushima destroyed three homes.
 * July 27-29, 2000 - Severe Tropical Storm Bolaven passes near the island of Kyushu as it strengthens near the Amami Islands before accelerating near South Korea. No reports of damages and deaths were received.
 * August 4-7, 2000 - the outer rainbands of Typhoon Jelawat caused scattered to torrential rains over the Kagoshima Prefecture and the nearby Okinawa Prefecture in the Ryukyu Islands.
 * August 29-September 1 - The outer and sheared rainbands of weakening Severe Tropical Storm Prapiroon caused heavy rains in some parts of the main Japanese islands. 253 mm of rainfall were recorded at Higashiusuki District, Miyazaki Prefecture and Shibata City, Niigata Prefecture reported a rainfall accumulation of 213 mm.
 * September 7-12, 2000 - A weakening Typhoon Saomai caused 10 deaths, 2 missing and 118 injured in Japan. Over 46,000 infrastructures reported flooding and the damages were at 24.8 billion (2000 JPY). Miyagawa, Mie Prefecture reported the highest rain accumulation from the hurricane at 1,090 mm. This was later designated as a catastrophic disaster in Japan.
 * September 10-11, 2000 - Weakening Tropical Storm Bopha, altogether with a front, caused heavy rains in the island of Kyushu and other areas. A total of 769 mm is recorded in Higashiusuki District, Miyazaki Prefecture.

2001

 * August 20-23, 2001 - The weakening Tropical Storm Pabuk stalled near the Kōchi and Tokushima Prefectures before making landfall near Tanabe, Wakayama Prefecture with a minimum barometric pressure of 970 hPa. It then gradually weakened while passing through some prefectures before accelerating near the Tōhoku region as it further weakened to a tropical depression before dissipating on August 23. The highest rainfall accumulation on the typhoon is on Owase, Mie Prefecture with over 549 mm by August 21. Six individuals were rendered dead and another was missing due to the storm. Over a thousand houses were flooded and the damages from the typhoon were at ¥619.166 million (US$7.1 million).
 * September 10-12, 2001 - Typhoon Danas makes landfall through the Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture on September 11 before it passed through the Ibaraki Prefecture from Tokyo. It then moved through the Pacific Ocean before becoming extratropical on September 12. Heavy rains were reported through the country, from Shikoku to Hokkaido due to the typhoon. Five individuals were recorded dead and another three were missing. 48 were injured and the storm caused record rainfall in some areas. The damages from Danas were at ¥1.1 billion (US$12.8 million).
 * September 19-20, 2001 - Typhoon Vipa passes near the Chiba Prefecture, bringing rainfall. However, the damage were minimal.
 * October 16-18, 2001 - Typhoon Haiyan passes near Kyushu, bringing rainfall before becoming extratropical.

2002

 * June 10-12, 2002 - Rainfall in Japan from Tropical Storm Noguri, which is becoming extratropical at that time, peaked at 123 mm at a station in Kagoshima Prefecture. The threat of the storm prompted school closures and 20 airline flight cancellations. Noguri injured one person, damaged one house, and caused about $4 million (¥504 million JPY) in agricultural damage.
 * July 3-6, 2002 - The outer rainbands of Typhoon Rammasun caused five injuries and flooding. The damages were only light, mainly on crops.
 * July 9-12, 2002 - The last location Typhoon Chataan affected was Japan. The typhoon forced the cancellation of 316 flights and 150 train trips. The expressway between Shizuoka and Tokyo was closed. At least 396 schools were closed in the country, and a baseball game between the Yokohama DeNA BayStars and the Yakult Swallows was canceled due to the inclement weather. Toyota temporarily closed most of its factories in the country. Heavy rainfall, peaking at 509 mm in Gifu Prefecture, fell across Japan. The rains flooded 10,270 houses in the country, resulting in evacuation orders for about 145,000 people. The floods damaged roads in 338 locations, and at least 10 bridges were destroyed. About 15,000 evacuees were in Ogaki after a river exceeded its banks. High rainfall caused hundreds of landslides, two of which resulted in a death. Floods killed at least three people. Winds from the typhoon peaked at 97 km/h (60 mph) at Hachijō-jima. High winds in Sakai, Osaka damaged 20 houses. In Tokyo, the storm produced light winds and rains, despite passing within 102 km (63 mi). Chataan destroyed 21 homes and damaged 239 others to some degree. During its passage, the typhoon destroyed 258.6 sqkm of crops. The typhoon killed six people, left one person missing, and injured 30 others. Overall damage in Japan totaled about $500 million (¥59 billion 2002 JPY).
 * July 13, 2002 - A weakening Tropical Depression Nakri, along with a cold front, caused landslides and heavy rainfall in Kyushu. No deaths were reported.
 * July 15-16, 2002 - In Japan, Severe Tropical Storm Halong dropped heavy rainfall that peaked at 362 mm in Nagano Prefecture. The highest rainfall in Okinawa was 258 mm. Near Tokyo, a station recorded winds of 112 km/h (69 mph), although winds gusted to 183 km/h (114 mph) at Kadena Air Base on Okinawa. Officials canceled bus service in Naze, Kagoshima during the storm. Throughout the country, the typhoon destroyed six houses and damaged 223 others to varying degrees. Halong also flooded 301 houses, forcing about 4,000 people to evacuate their homes, many along rivers. Officials canceled 54 airline flights, 10 of them international, and due to the storm, 171 schools were closed. In Sendai, Halong damaged roads in 550 locations and railroads in seven locations. Nine levees were breached, and there were at least 270 landslides. Damage totaled $89.8 million (¥10.3 billion 2002 JPY) across the country, mostly from agriculture.     During its passage, the typhoon injured nine people, one of them severely, and there was one death.
 * July 25-27, 2002 - Before Tropical Storm Fengshen affected Japan, airline officials canceled more than 30 flights, and train and bus service was also interrupted. Along the coast of Kyushu, Fengshen washed a freighter onshore and split it in two, which was traveling from New Orleans, Louisiana to Kagoshima Prefecture. Four people were drowned while escaping the broken vessel, while the remaining crew of 19 were rescued. The typhoon produced strong winds and heavy rain in the country. A station in Miyazaki Prefecture reported the highest rainfall in Japan with a total of 717 mm. Most of the precipitation fell in a 24‑hour period, and the heaviest 1 hour total was 52 mm in Taira, Toyama. The highest winds in Japan was 101 km/h (63 mph) recorded in Kōchi Prefecture. The storm left about 8,200 homes in Kagoshima Prefecture without power. High rainfall caused at least six mudslides, one of which damaged a county road. A total of 20 homes were damaged in the country, and 200 families were evacuated. High rains damaged 5,699 hectares (14,083 acres) of crop fields, totaling $4 million (¥475 million 2002 JPY). Fengshen killed one person and severely injured another person in the country.
 * July 27, 2002 - A weakening Tropical Depression Fung-wong dropped heavy rainfall in Japan, reaching 717 mm at a station in Miyazaki Prefecture. The rains caused two landslides and resulted in delays to bus and train systems, as well as cancellations to ferry and airline routes. There was also minor crop damage.
 * August 15-16, 2002 - Rainfall in mainland Japan from Typhoon Phanfone peaked at 416 mm near Tokyo, and the typhoon flooded 43 houses. High rains caused road damage and landslides, as well as some aquaculture damage. The storm caused 22 ferry routes and 10 flights to be canceled, and temporarily shut down refineries near Tokyo. On the offshore island of Hachijō-jima, high winds caused a temporary power outage.
 * August 28-30, 2002 - Typhoon Rusa affected the mainland Japan after battering through the Ryukyu Islands.Winds reached 104 km/h in Nomozaki, Nagasaki. Rains fell for seven days in the country, peaking at 902 mm in Tokushima Prefecture. The heaviest of the precipitation fell in Nara Prefecture, where a station reported 84 mm in one hour. At least 275 houses were flooded, and 137 houses were damaged. During its passage, Rusa injured 12 people, 4 seriously.
 * October 1-4, 2002 - Before Typhoon Higos struck Japan, officials canceled 300 airplane flights, and also canceled train lines and ferry service. Some baseball games were postponed, and businesses closed early. The typhoon affected outlying islands of Japan, causing power outages due to strong winds. Upon making landfall in Japan, Higos produced strong winds that peaked at 104 km/h (65 mph) in Shizuoka. Winds in Tokyo reached 94 km/h (58 mph). Stronger wind gusts were reported in Hokkaido after Higos became extratropical, including a peak gust of 161 km/h (100 mph) in Urakawa. Several stations across Japan reported record-high wind gusts. The typhoon also dropped torrential rainfall that peaked at 346 mm (13.6 in) in Hakone, Kanagawa; the same station reported a one-hour total of 80 mm (3.15 in). The typhoon washed 25 boats ashore, including a cargo ship on Izu-Oshima Island. One woman was washed away by high surf. A total of 2,254 houses were flooded in the country, forcing thousands of people to evacuate. Overall, 2,694 houses were damaged, and another 12 were destroyed. Many houses lost their roofs, and high winds left 608,130 buildings without power in Honshu, along with thousands of power on Hokkaido. Two people were electrocuted by downed power lines. High rainfall caused mudslides near Tokyo, which destroyed a few buildings, and caused the Tama River to reach above-normal levels. Across Japan, the typhoon disrupted transportation by forcing highways to be closed. Storm debris injured several people, and a steel window frame struck and killed a man in Yokohama. A tree fell onto a car, injuring one person. Insured damage in Japan totaled ¥261 billion ($2.14 billion in 2002 USD). In Iwate Prefecture, there was about ¥8 billion ($73 million 2002 USD) in damage, mostly from damaged roads and public buildings. Agriculture damage in the prefecture exceeded ¥2 billion ($18.3 million in 2002 USD) for the first time since Typhoon Mireille in 1991. There were five deaths, and 108 people were injured; this included 55 people who were injured in Tokyo.

2003

 * April 25, 2003 - Effects from Tropical Depression Kujira in Japan were of the greatest extent as opposed to other regions. Several flights were cancelled due to poor visibility in Ehime Prefecture as a result of cloudy conditions onset by the nearby typhoon, and roughly 1,800 passengers were affected by these cancellations. Similar flight delays and cancellations also occurred in Kōchi Prefecture. As Kujira approached Japan, the storm brought rough seas to the Ryukyu Islands, where wave heights of 2.5 m were recorded. In Okinawa, a woman was swept away by the wave action. Though she was later rescued and transported to a nearby hospital, she later died of resulting injuries. Further south, on Ishigaki Island, intense rainfall and near-record high wind gusts were reported. These combined effects caused US$230,000 (¥27.8 million) in agricultural damage spread out over an area of 190 ha (460 acres). However, the heaviest rainfall associated with Kujira in Japan were on Kyushu. There, precipitation peaked at 196 mm in Shakadake, Ōita Prefecture. Five other locations, all of which were on Kyushu, reported rainfall totals in excess of 125 mm. Upon its final landfall near Ushibuka, Kumamoto, Kujira became the earliest typhoon in any given calendar year to make landfall in Japan.
 * June 2, 2003 - After tracking eastward across the Philippines, Tropical Storm Linfa reorganized and curved northeastward toward Japan. The Japan Meteorological Agency anticipated heavy precipitation and strong winds in the island nation's southwestern regions. The agency also warned residents in low-lying areas of potential flooding. The JMA indicated the heightened possibility of landslides in the Tōhoku region due to a recent earthquake in the area. Due to the forecasted impacts and track, as many as 102 domestic flights were cancelled in a single day, particularly those associated with southwestern Japan. In addition, five ferry services were cancelled. Upon making landfall on Shikoku, Linfa became the first tropical cyclone since 1965 to strike Japan during May, as well as the third earliest tropical cyclone to make landfall on any of Japan's four main islands since standardized records began in 1951. Throughout Linfa's passage of Japan, the storm brought heavy rainfall across a wide swath of the country, resulting in extensive and damaging flooding. Damage was primarily concentrated on Kyushu Island. Precipitation peaked at 727 mm (28.62 in) at a station in Nakagoya, Miyazaki Prefecture. However, a station in Owase, Mie observed 497 mm (19.56 in) of rain in 24 hours, greater than any other location for that period of time. Despite making landfall on Ehime Prefecture, Linfa did not cause as much damage there relative to other provinces, particularly those bordering Ehime. Nonetheless, nearly 300 homes lost power during the storm there. Linfa's worst impacts occurred in Kōchi Prefecture, where severe flooding inundated several buildings and triggered numerous landslides. Damage there totaled ¥1.28 billion (US$10.7 million). Similar effects took place in Tokushima Prefecture, in addition to widespread evacuations from impacted areas. Damage accrued by Linfa in Tokushima Prefecture reached ¥1.22 billion (US$10.3 million). Located near the coast, high seas generated by Linfa were reported in Wakayama Prefecture, resulting in cancellations of offshore activities and transportation. However, much of the damage in Wakayama Prefecture was caused by torrential precipitation, damaging roads in seven locations, amounting to ¥197.45 million (US$1.65 million). Severe flooding in Mie Prefecture resulted from heavy, prolonged rainfall, which peaked prefecture-wide at 497 mm (19.57 in) in Owase. Precipitation in Mie caused widespread power outages. As many as 65 buildings were flooded, and approximately 87 ha (215 ac) of arable land was inundated by rainwater. In addition to surface inundation, the rains caused twenty landslides, blocking roads the traffic and suspending some rail operations. Power outages were also widespread in Hyōgo Prefecture, including a localized outage stripping electricity from 900 homes in the Kita-ku ward in Kobe; similar impacts occurred in Osaka Prefecture. Rising floodwater in Kanagawa Prefecture engulfed the first floors of several office buildings and residences. The rain also deluged roads in Yokohama, Fujisawa, Chigasaki and Odawara. On Nishino-shima Island in Honshu's Shimane Prefecture, precipitation caused the deterioration of surface sediments, resulting in landslides that damaged several buildings. Agricultural damage totaled to ¥660,000 (US$5,500), and three flights were cancelled at Oki Airport. Multiple landslides occurred in Miyagi Prefecture. In Kesennuma, the rains triggered a rockfall, prompting evacuations and damaging a home. A second rockfall incident occurred on June 2, destroying several buildings. Residents of Ogachi and Ishinomaki were ordered to evacuate due to the threat of additional rockfalls and landslides, . In both Hino and Kurayoshi, Tottori, heavy rain caused damage to roads and farmland erosion. The precipitation also caused a river to flow over its banks, flooding adjacent land. Damage in Tottori Prefecture amounted to ¥890 million (US$75,000). Significant damage occurred in Ōita Prefecture, where heavy rains caused landslides and suspended rail operations. Most of the damage in Ōita Prefecture was done to crops, particularly vegetables, and totaled ¥27.37 million (US$230,000). Damage to sweet potato and tobacco crops alone in Kagoshima Prefecture reached ¥21 million (US$180,000), while damage to agricultural infrastructure totaled ¥2 million (US$16,800). Damage to tobacco crops in Miyazaki Prefecture were estimated even higher at ¥50.57 million (US$420,000). In Nagasaki Prefecture, the rains also damaged forests, with damage estimated at ¥23 million (US$190,000); other agricultural damage was estimated at ¥60 million (US$500,000). Voluntary evacuation procedures took place in Fukue, Nagasaki due to the threat of building collapse.