Typhoon expected to bring heavy rains to Japan

A typhoon was approaching the southern Japanese island of Kyushu Thursday, and was expected to bring downpours and strong winds to western and southern parts of Japan, authorities said. Typhoon Leepi, the fourth of the season, was expected to hit the island early Friday, the Japan Meteorological Agency said, warning of thunder, tornadoes, mudslides and high waves. As of 9 am (0000 GMT), Leepi was over the East China Sea, travelling north at a speed of 30 kilometres per hour (kph), the agency said. The typhoon had maximum sustained winds of 72 kph and gusts of 108 kph, the agency said. Some areas on the Sea of Japan coast were already lashed with heavy rain as a seasonal rain front remained over wider areas of central and western Japan. Rainfall of up to 250 millimetres was forecast for the Kinki region and up to 200 millimetres for the south-western island of Shikoku, the agency said.