Domestic flights cancelled, residents warned of flooding as typhoon inches closer with wind gusts of up to 252km/h.

Japan was bracing on Friday for the arrival of Typhoon Hagibis, which threatens to deluge Tokyo with the heaviest rain in 60 years, just a month after a strong storm pummelled the area around the capital, disrupting transport and causing massive power cuts.

“There is an increasing possibility that the very powerful typhoon will make landfall in the Tokai region or the Kanto region tomorrow,” Yasushi Kajihara, who heads the forecast division at the Meteorological Agency, said, referring to central and eastern Japan.

Hagibis is expected to bring “ferocious” winds, high waves and record rainfall to wide areas from the northeast to western Japan, Kajihara told a news conference.

Kajihara added that Hagibis is comparable to the 1958 typhoon that hit eastern and central Japan, killing more than 1,200 people.

He warned of mudslides, flooding, swollen rivers and storm surge, calling on residents to evacuate early and protect their own lives.

Two rugby World Cup matches scheduled for Saturday have been cancelled due to the expected impact of Hagibis, organisers said.

The typhoon also forced changes to the Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix which is scheduled for this weekend at Suzuka.

Qualifying has been moved from Saturday to Sunday, F1 officials said, as all events on Saturday at the Suzuka Circuit were cancelled.

Airlines have already cancelled about 1,280 flights on Saturday, broadcaster NHK reported.

ANA stopped all domestic flights to and from Tokyo’s two main airports, Haneda and Narita, from Friday afternoon.

ANA and rival Japan Airlines Co also cancelled some flights to and from airports servicing the major cities of Osaka and Nagoya.

Massive outflow, whether with small or large 👁️. Now #Hagibis headed to #Japan. pic.twitter.com/6bfPCuolKj — Stu Ostro (@StuOstro) October 10, 2019

Many train services, including high-speed bullet train services, will be suspended in eastern and central Japan on Saturday, rail companies said.

As of 9am local time (0000 GMT), Hagibis was about 410km (255 miles) west of Chichi Jima Island, travelling north-northwest at 25km/h (15 miles/hour) with maximum sustained winds of 180km/h (112 miles/h) and gusts of 252km/h (156 miles/h), according to the agency.

A month ago, Typhoon Faxai pounded eastern Japan, including Tokyo, killing one person, while about 130 others were injured.

In Chiba prefecture, thousands of households lost electricity and water supply for two weeks.

Officials in the Chiba, just east of Tokyo, have told people to prepare supplies of food and water for up to three days.