Typhoon 18 has pushed parts of Okinawa’s main island and the Amami region into its storm wind zone, according to a report from tenki.jp published Tuesday. The update, issued by a duty weather forecaster, said the storm’s strong wind field had reached these areas as of the morning of August 25, 2026.
The Japan Meteorological Agency’s tracking data, cited by TBS NEWS DIG, shows Typhoon 18, named Soul-del, is approaching Okinawa as a strong system with maximum instantaneous wind speeds of up to 60 meters per second. The same report noted that Typhoon 19, named Nala, is expected to weaken into a tropical depression within 24 hours, leaving Typhoon 18 as the primary concern in the region.
MBC South Nippon Broadcasting reported that Typhoon 18 is forecast to make its closest approach to the Amami region late Tuesday night. The outlet also mentioned that a new tropical depression has formed, though details on its potential development were not provided in the available material.
In response to the storm, bus operators on Okinawa’s main island have announced plans to resume normal service from the first departure on Wednesday, August 26, according to both the Okinawa Times and Ryukyu Shimpo. The companies said routes in the northern part of the island, excluding some branch lines, will run as usual, with decisions on those branch lines to be made after safety checks.
Residents in the affected areas should monitor local updates as the storm’s path and intensity could shift. The key point to watch is how quickly Typhoon 18 moves past the Amami region and whether its wind field affects other parts of southern Japan in the coming days.
