At least three people have died in southwestern Japan as Typhoon Shanshan made landfall in Kagoshima Prefecture on Thursday, bringing with it torrential rain and extremely strong winds.
The typhoon has caused widespread disruption, grounding flights and leaving over a quarter of a million homes without power.
Major automakers, including Toyota and Nissan, have suspended operations at some or all of their domestic plants due to the storm.
According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, Typhoon Shanshan, with winds reaching up to 198 kilometers per hour, made landfall near the city of Satsumasendai on Kyushu Island early Thursday morning.
Authorities have warned that Shanshan could be one of the strongest storms ever to hit the region and have issued evacuation orders for millions of residents across several areas.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi reported that three people have lost their lives, one person is missing, two are seriously injured, and five others have sustained minor injuries due to the typhoon.
In a press conference, Hayashi stated, "Given that this typhoon is moving slowly, the total amount of rainfall could be quite substantial."
Kyushu Electric Power Company announced that more than 250,000 homes in seven regions were without power as of 9 a.m. on Thursday (00:00 GMT).
The Japan Meteorological Agency predicts that the storm will approach central and eastern regions, including the capital, Tokyo, over the weekend.
Airlines have canceled more than 600 domestic flights, and train services have been suspended in many areas of Kyushu.
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