Millions of Japanese people have been told to evacuate their homes and workplaces as Typhoon Shanshan beats across central and southwestern parts of Japan.
As of Thursday, the core of Typhoon Shanshan sits overhead the southern island of Kyushu where strong winds of up to 252 km/h have been reported.
The storm, which is headed to the capital Tokyo, has been moving slowly across southern and central Japan.
In some areas, residents were ordered to take immediate life-saving action by moving to a safer location or seeking shelter higher in their homes. In some parts, residents were advised to evacuate.
Japanese officials issued a level five alert to more than five million people, warning Typhoon Shanshan may well be the strongest storm to hit the region to date.
"Special warning" was given to residents who feared to be facing violent storms, landslides, flooding and large-scale damage.
On its way across Japan, Typhoon Shanshan has left a trail of destruction, huge power cuts, high-speed train cancellations and a notable number of flight cancellations at Japan’s busiest airports in past days.
Four people were killed by the storm till now, three from a family in Gamagori, and one person in Tokushima.
This year's heavy monsoon rains have caused huge flooding and landslides in China, Thailand, Indonesia and Bangladesh.
Climate experts link extreme weather to global warming caused by greenhouse gas emissions, including carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide.