A powerful typhoon barrelling towards Japan's eastern coast has disrupted transportation and forced the closure of several tourist hotspots.

Typhoon Dujuan, packing sustained winds of 126km/h and gusts of up to 180km/h, is forecast to pass near the Boso Peninsula in Chiba prefecture near Tokyo on Monday.

All Nippon Airways has grounded flights to and from Hachijo Island south of Tokyo, which is experiencing heavy rains and strong winds. JR East, a major rail company, has suspended some services in Chiba, home to Narita Airport.

Japan's Meteorological Agency has warned Dujuan could bring record rainfall through Tuesday and urged residents in coastal areas to stay alert for landslides.

Rainfall could reach up to 350mm in the Tokai region, 300mm in the Kanto and Izu Islands, and 200mm in Tohoku, the agency said.

It also warned that the typhoon could cause severe flooding in low-lying areas.

Dujuan, which is Japan's 25th typhoon of the year, has hit in the midst of a five-day holiday and forced the cancellation of several events.

Concerts scheduled for Monday at the Rock in Japan music festival have been cancelled, while the Tokyo Game Show, a video game convention, has also cancelled Monday's programme.

Organisers of the Asian Games, which are underway in central Japan's Aichi prefecture and in the city of Nagoya, have said typhoon-related concerns have put people off attending the games' opening ceremony on Sunday.

Parts of the 30,000-seat stadium were visibly empty during the ceremony.

Source: BBC

-Agencies