Tokyo (AFP)
Japan was preparing Friday for the passage of the powerful Typhoon Hagibis, which has already resulted in the cancellation of hundreds of flights and two meetings of the World Rugby, and disrupted the qualifying of the F1 Grand Prix.
Japan weather agency (JMA) on Friday considered its cyclonic intensity "very strong", barely a step down from the maximum level in which it was previously ranked.
Gusts of wind up to 216 km / h were expected for Saturday at 09:00 local time (midnight Friday GMT), a few hours before the scheduled arrival of Hagibis over central and eastern Japan, whose very densely populated region of Tokyo.
The weather agency was expecting "brutal winds and a violent sea" from Saturday to Sunday in many parts of the country.
"We ask you to take precautionary measures" before the arrival of the typhoon, "in order to protect your life and those of your loved ones," said a JMA official at the press. concerned.
Record rains are expected in some areas, including 500 mm in 24 hours in the Tokyo area and up to 800 mm in the center of the country, according to the JMA.
- Government on alert -
In early September, the Tokyo area had already been affected by a powerful typhoon, Faxai, with gusts exceeding 200 km / h.
Faxai had caused at least two deaths and more than a hundred injuries, and damaged tens of thousands of homes and many electrical infrastructure.
In Chiba prefecture (large eastern suburbs of Tokyo), nearly a million homes had been plunged into darkness, and the current could not be restored for more than two weeks for several tens of thousands of people. between them.
The Japanese government, whose management of Faxai had been much criticized, ensured Friday be on alert.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has ordered officials to "take all possible measures to ensure the safety of people", including "cooperating closely" with the Japanese Self-Defense Forces, said Friday the spokesman of the Executive Yoshihide Suga.
Chaos in transport was feared, while many Japanese initially planned to take the train or the plane during this long weekend, next Monday being a holiday in Japan.
The two major airlines JAL and ANA have both canceled several hundred flights for Saturday, mainly on their domestic routes.
All high-speed trains (Shinkansen) between Tokyo and Nagoya have been removed for Saturday, as well as between Nagoya and Osaka (west) from approximately 0800 hours local time.
- F1 and World rugby disturbed -
The organizers of the Suzuka Formula 1 Grand Prix, near Nagoya (center), canceled Friday the whole program of the following day: the free practice is thus limited to Friday and the qualifications will be held Sunday morning, just before the scheduled departure of the race.
"The International Automobile Federation (FIA) and Formula 1 support this decision in the interest of the safety of spectators, competitors and all on the Suzuka circuit," the organizers said.
Two matches scheduled for Saturday in the context of the Rugby World Cup, currently held in Japan, were also canceled on Thursday: France / England in Yokohama (suburb of Tokyo) and New Zealand / Italy to Toyota City ( center of the country), meetings that were to attract nearly 115,000 spectators.
Many supporters have not concealed their disappointment, while the captain of the Italian team, Sergio Parisse, was indignant, saying that the match of his team against New Zealand would have been maintained if the All Blacks had still needed a win to qualify for the quarterfinals.
The typhoon also threatened Sunday's meeting in Yokohama between the Japanese and the Scots, who would also be eliminated from the tournament if the match did not take place. A final decision on this key match was not expected until Sunday morning.
© 2019 AFP