Flights cancelled as Typhoon Shanshan heads toward Tokyo

TOKYO – Rain is lashing Tokyo and dozens of flights have been cancelled as a typhoon heads toward the Japanese capital.

Typhoon Shanshan is packing maximum sustained winds of 125 kilometres (78 miles) per hour and gusts of up to 180 kph (112 mph). It’s about 260 kilometres (160 miles) southeast of Tokyo on Wednesday afternoon.

The brunt of the storm is forecast to hit Tokyo and surrounding areas overnight before moving up the Pacific coast to northeastern Japan on Thursday. It isn’t clear whether the typhoon will make landfall or remain offshore.

According to Japanese broadcaster NHK, more than 130 flights in and out of Tokyo’s two main airports have been cancelled.