Japan Railway companies that operate Shinkansen super-express trains said services may be suspended in Kyushu, Japan's main southern island, as well as large parts of the main island of Honshu between Wednesday and Sunday. People hunkered down as Typhoon Shanshan intensified into a “very strong” storm while on its path towards the coast of Japan, prompting weather agencies on Tuesday to issue warnings of heavy rains and violent winds in the southwestern islands.

The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said Typhoon Shanshan was about 130 kilometers (80 miles) east of the southern island of Amami on Tuesday morning as it slowly headed north toward Kyushu while packing winds of up to 162 kilometers (100 miles) per hour.

Wednesday, making a close approach to the Amami Islands, according to Japan Times. Shanshan could make landfall in southern Kyushu on Thursday as a strong storm, bringing severe weather to the islands.

The JMA has forecast up to 400 millimeters (15.7 inches) of rainfall on the Amami island over the next 24 hours and up to 500 millimeters (19.7 inches) in the Kyushu region from Wednesday to Thursday. It has also urged people to remain vigilant regarding strong winds, high waves, landslides, flooding in low-lying areas, and river inundation. Winds of up to 90 mph were forecast in southern Kyushu and the Amami region starting Tuesday, and could increase to 110 mph Wednesday, according to New York Times. However, so far, no damage has been reported.