Typhoon Ampil Leaves; Stations and Airports Crowded as Transportation Services Resume

The Yomiuri Shimbun
Suitcase-toting tourists walk through Haneda Airport on Saturday.

The very strong Typhoon Ampil, also known as Typhoon No. 7, passed offshore of Chiba Prefecture early Saturday morning and had moved far away over the sea east of Japan by midday. Transportation services that had been suspended or canceled in response to the typhoon’s approach resumed operations on Saturday. The Bon holiday season’s return travel rush also picked up, leading to crowded train stations and airports.

At Haneda Airport, where domestic and international flights were canceled on Friday, most flights resumed on Saturday, filling the airport with travelers carrying suitcases. A man who had been in Okinawa with three members of his family arrived at Haneda via Kobe Airport on Saturday morning after their Friday flight was canceled. “I’m glad we came back to Tokyo safely. I want to rest well and get back to work next week,” he said.

The Tokaido Shinkansen, which had suspended service between Tokyo and Nagoya all day Friday, also resumed normal operations at all points from the first train on Saturday.