Tokyo - A large and powerful typhoon was heading towards western Japan on Thursday, threatening to bring strong winds and torrential rain on the Pacific side of the country.
Typhoon Talas was travelling north-west over waters off the southern coast of Japan's mainland as of 6am (9pm SA time) on Wednesday), the Japan Meteorological Agency said.
Pacific coastal areas in eastern and western Japan may be hit by a rainstorm of 50-70 millimetres per hour, the agency said.
This season's 12th typhoon could make landfall on western or central Japan either on Friday or Saturday, the agency said.
The typhoon had maximum sustained winds of 126 kilometres per hour and gusts of 180km/h, the agency said. Its atmospheric pressure at the centre was 965 hectopascals. - Sapa-dpa