" now classified as Severe Tropical Storm Maria, in Kuji city of Iwate prefecture on Aug. 12. Severe Tropical Storm Maria on Aug. 12 made landfall in northern Japan, having dumped more than two months worth of rain in the previous 24 hours and forcing the cancellation of dozens of flights. (AFP)" id="heraldbizimg01" src="http://res.heraldm.com/content/image/2024/08/14/20240814050749_0.jpg" width="640" height="427" align="center">A man walks past a flooded road in the wake of "Typhoon No. 5," now classified as Severe Tropical Storm Maria, in Kuji city of Iwate prefecture on Aug. 12. Severe Tropical Storm Maria on Aug. 12 made landfall in northern Japan, having dumped more than two months worth of rain in the previous 24 hours and forcing the cancellation of dozens of flights. (AFP)

TOKYO -- Typhoon Ampil is expected to make landfall in Japan on Friday, the country's weather forecasters said Wednesday of what will be the second weather system to strike the archipelago in a week.

The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) forecasts that the slow-moving typhoon, currently south of Japan, will close in on the eastern or northern part of the country Friday through Saturday with a "strong force."

In an advisory at 5:05 p.m., Typhoon Ampil was packing gusts of up to 162 kilometres per hour and moving northeast at 15 kilometres per hour, the weather agency said. On Monday, tropical storm Maria made landfall in northern Japan, having dumped the most rain in some areas since records began and forced the cancellation of dozens of flights.

In anticipation of the typhoon's arrival, Central Japan Railway Company said Wednesday that it will suspend its bullet train operations between Tokyo and Nagoya, a metropolis west of the capital, all day on Friday. The suspension coincides with Japan's annual "obon" holiday -- when many Japanese return to hometowns and pay respects to ancestors.

Eastern Japan, including Tokyo, should be "on high alert for storms, high waves, landslides, flooding in low-lying areas and overflowing rivers," the JMA said. Public broadcaster NHK warned of gusty winds that could blow away roof tiles and topple utility pole. (AFP)