Typhoon Shanshan has inundated large areas of Japan with torrential rain, triggering warnings for flooding and landslides even hundreds of miles from the storm's center. The severe weather has disrupted travel services and led to the suspension of production at major factories.

The typhoon, considered one of the most powerful storms to hit the southwestern Kyushu region in recent memory, made landfall on Thursday. In Fukuoka city, residents were bracing for the impact, with streets largely deserted and shops closed. University student Kokoro Osoegawa, 21, sought shelter near the city's train station after struggling to return home. "There are no trains because of the typhoon, so my parents are coming to pick me up," she said. "I’ve never experienced all the trains stopping before."

The disaster management agency reported that at least three people have died, and 78 others have been injured due to storm-related incidents. With gusts reaching up to 180 km per hour (112 mph), strong enough to topple moving trucks, the typhoon was located near Kunisaki in Oita Prefecture at 8:45 a.m. local time and was moving northeast.

Approximately 125,000 households across seven prefectures in Kyushu were left without power, according to Kyushu Electric Power Co. The storm’s slow movement and the warm, moist air it has drawn in have caused heavy rains far from its core, raising concerns about widespread flooding.

Evacuation notices have been issued to over 4 million people across Japan, mainly in Kyushu, but extending as far as Tokyo and Yokohama. Authorities in Yokohama warned of potential landslides due to the heavy rainfall. Despite these warnings, only about 30,000 people, mostly in Kyushu, had evacuated by Thursday, according to disaster management minister Yoshifumi Matsumura.

As the storm moved northeast, it was expected to approach central and eastern Japan, including Tokyo, over the weekend. The typhoon prompted Toyota to suspend operations at all its domestic plants, while Nissan, Honda, semiconductor companies Renesas and Tokyo Electron, and electronics giant Sony also halted production at some factories. Airlines such as ANA Holdings and Japan Airlines canceled hundreds of domestic and some international flights. Ferry and rail services, including the bullet train between Tokyo and Nagoya, were also suspended on Friday morning.

The storm caused widespread disruption for travelers, including 60-year-old Lin Yue-Hua, a tourist from Taiwan, who had her flight from Fukuoka canceled. After learning that her plane had circled Japan before returning to Taiwan, she and her companions struggled to find a way home.

Typhoon Shanshan follows Typhoon Ampil, which also caused blackouts and evacuations in Japan earlier this month.