Typhoon Dujuan slammed into Japan, bringing sustained winds of 130 km/h and gusts up to 194 km/h. Almost two million residents were placed under evacuation orders as the storm battered multiple prefectures, prompting authorities to keep a "danger to life" warning in Oshima Town and maintain level‑four landslide alerts in several locations.

Analysis

Human impact – The evacuation orders affected a massive portion of the population, highlighting the scale of the emergency response. Power cuts impacted more than 50,000 households, while hundreds of flights were cancelled and rail services suspended, disrupting travel across the country. Local authorities reported a woman in her 60s possibly swept away and buried alive, and a man in his 50s rescued after being trapped in a landslide‑related debris field.

Infrastructure and events – The storm forced the cancellation of high‑profile events, including the Rock in Japan music festival and the Tokyo Game Show, underscoring the broader societal disruption. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi postponed her planned trip to the United States to monitor the typhoon’s effects, indicating the government’s prioritisation of domestic safety.

Weather context – Dujuan is Japan’s 25th typhoon of the year, arriving amid a five‑day holiday period. Meteorologists linked the storm’s intensity to a "super El Niño" that has warmed Pacific waters, providing additional energy for tropical cyclones. While climate change is not believed to increase the total number of typhoons globally, rising sea‑surface temperatures can make individual storms more powerful, with higher wind speeds and heavier rainfall.

Uncertainty

Damage assessment – The full extent of the damage remains uncertain. The typhoon continued moving north along Japan’s Pacific coast, and officials expected that more detailed reports would emerge after Tuesday.

Long‑term climate implications – Research cited in the source suggests that while the overall frequency of typhoons may not rise, the intensity of those that do form is likely to increase as oceans warm. However, the precise relationship between El Niño, climate change, and future typhoon patterns remains an area of active scientific investigation.

As Typhoon Dujuan tracks northward, the priority for Japanese authorities remains the safety of residents, the restoration of essential services, and the careful monitoring of any further landslide or flooding threats.