Typhoon Haishen is gathering strength over waters south of Japan. The powerful storm is expected to approach the southwestern part of the country between Sunday and Monday.
Japan's Meteorological Agency said the typhoon was moving westward at a speed of about 20 kilometers per hour as of noon Thursday, Japan time.
Torrential rains have drenched southwestern Japan. Weather officials are warning of possible mudslides and flooding in the region.
The Meteorological Agency said damp air was flowing towards the rain front, creating unstable atmospheric conditions over northern Kyushu and bringing rain clouds into the area.
The operator of a nuclear power plant in southwestern Japan has suspended one of its reactors as it cannot meet the deadline for building mandatory facilities to deal with emergencies.
Kyushu Electric Power Company began work to reduce output at the No.1 reactor at the Sendai plant in Kagoshima Prefecture at 2:30 a.m. on Monday. The reactor went offline at 1:01 p.m.