A powerful weather front swept through the Kanto region, including Tokyo and Kanagawa Prefecture, yesterday afternoon (Sept. 11), bringing torrential rain and hail to some areas. The heavy rainfall triggered widespread flooding in multiple urban areas, submerging concourses at JR stations and disrupting operations on the Shinkansen bullet train and at Haneda Airport. In Ōta Ward, a container at the Tokyo Port container terminal was toppled by strong winds, killing one worker and injuring another.
According to Japanese media, the Japan Meteorological Agency reported that an influx of warm, moist air into the frontal zone, combined with cold upper-air conditions, had caused extreme atmospheric instability. At 3:20 pm, the agency issued an "unprecedented short-term heavy rain alert" for Nakahara Ward in Kawasaki, noting rainfall intensity seen only once every few years—reaching 100 mm per hour. Midorigaoka in Meguro Ward, Tokyo, recorded an intense 134 mm of rain within one hour, while Setagaya Ward registered 92 mm, breaking local rainfall records. The Yazawa Bridge over the Tanizawa River in Setagaya reported overflow due to the intense precipitation.
The storm severely disrupted transportation networks. Multiple flights were delayed at Haneda Airport, with All Nippon Airways cancelling 23 flights and Japan Airlines cancelling 19, affecting nearly 10,000 passengers. Major rail services, including the Yamanote Line, JR Tōkaidō Line, and the Tōkaidō Shinkansen between Tokyo and Shin-Yokohama, were temporarily suspended. Long queues formed outside stations as passengers struggled to find taxis.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department and Tokyo Fire Department confirmed that around 3:50 pm, a container collapsed at the Tokyo Port container terminal in Reiwa Island, Ōta Ward, trapping two workers. One was pronounced dead, and the other sustained injuries. Police are investigating whether high winds and heavy rain contributed to the accident.
The Meteorological Agency warns that severe weather is expected to continue, with the Tōkai region potentially receiving up to 200 mm of rain over 24 hours, and the Kanto-Kōshin region expecting up to 60 mm. Residents are urged to remain vigilant against further flooding and river overflow.
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