Dujuan may bring stormy weather to Ogasawara Islands

Tropical Storm Dujuan is moving north over waters far southeast of Japan. Rain and wind are expected to intensify on the Ogasawara Islands on Friday and Saturday, and waves will likely swell.

Dujuan may head over waters south of the main island of Honshu to impact the weather during the five-day holiday in Japan that starts Saturday.

The Japan Meteorological Agency says a tropical depression had developed into a tropical storm as of 9 p.m. Wednesday, Japan time, above waters far southeast of Japan.

As of 3 a.m. Thursday, Dujuan was spotted near the Mariana Islands and was moving north-northeast at about 20 kilometers per hour.

The storm has a central atmospheric pressure of 996 hectopascals. It has maximum sustained winds of 72 kilometers per hour near its center and maximum gusts of 108 kilometers per hour.

Winds of 54 kilometers per hour or more are blowing within 950 kilometers north of the center and within 440 kilometers south of it. Dujuan is expected to approach waters near the Ogasawaras beginning Friday while gradually strengthening.

Weather officials are advising caution against high waves as well as mudslides caused by heavy rain.

There is uncertainty about its projected path, but Dujuan could take a northeasterly course and approach waters south of Honshu.

Weather officials are calling on residents to check the latest weather reports.