Japan's southwestern islands on high alert as powerful Typhoon Bavi approaches

The powerful storm is set to lash the Sakishima Islands before moving towards Taiwan and China's coast

Men do fishing as Typhoon Bavi approaches in Ishigaki, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, Jul 9, 2026. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon

A large and powerful typhoon approached a remote chain of islands in Japan's southwest on Friday, prompting authorities to warn of violent winds, torrential rain, landslides and flooding in what could be the region's most destructive storm in years.

Early on Friday, Typhoon Bavi was nearing Japan's Sakishima Islands -- a remote chain of islands near Taiwan -- with maximum sustained winds of 162kph (100mph), prompting locals to secure their homes and shops.

Airlines cancelled dozens of flights in the region, including for Saturday.

In Ishigaki, one of the islands in the Sakishima chain popular with tourists, residents stocked up on supplies, emptying shelves of instant noodles at a local supermarket. Some public beaches and coastal parks and the local ferry terminal appeared closed.

"I heard that this one will be pretty big," said Hiroshi Nomura, as he strung windproof nets across his bicycle rental store. "I’m a little concerned about whether our typhoon preparations are enough."

The same windproof nets, along with taped windows, could be seen in establishments across Ishigaki.

In neighbouring Taiwan, financial markets closed for the day, with a large swathe of the north and east also off work. The Taipei city government set up stations for residents to collect sandbags.

Bavi is not expected to make landfall in Taiwan but will dump huge amounts of rain on the island starting from late Friday, before hitting China's coast and weakening as it goes.

Taiwan's airlines have cancelled all of their flights on Saturday from the main international airport at Taoyuan outside Taipei.