Typhoon No. 7 moved northward near the Okinawa main island on Friday, causing widespread cancellations of flights at Naha Airport [1].
The storm's passage disrupted critical infrastructure in the region, leaving thousands of travelers stranded and halting public transportation during the peak of the weather event.
According to reports, 137 flights departing from or arriving at Naha Airport were canceled [1]. Other reports indicate a minimum of 120 flights were canceled [4], with Japan Airlines accounting for 70 cancellations [5] and All Nippon Airways canceling 52 flights [6].
The disruptions affected approximately 19,000 people [2]. This figure includes roughly 4,490 passengers affected by Japan Airlines' cancellations and 1,570 passengers affected by All Nippon Airways [5], [6].
Extreme weather conditions were recorded as the storm passed. On Tokashiki Island, officials said they observed a maximum instantaneous wind speed of 30.6 meters per second [3]. These conditions forced the suspension of various public transportation services to ensure public safety.
Storm warnings were in effect throughout the morning. The storm warnings were lifted shortly before 9 a.m. on Friday [8].
While the immediate danger to the Okinawa main island has subsided, the storm continues its northward trajectory. Authorities said that the Kanto and Tokai regions should remain alert for heavy rain over the coming weekend [1].
“137 flights departing from or arriving at Naha Airport were canceled”
The scale of cancellations and the high number of affected passengers underscore the vulnerability of Okinawa's transport hub to seasonal typhoons. Because the region relies heavily on Naha Airport for connectivity to the Japanese mainland, such weather events create immediate logistical bottlenecks that ripple through the national aviation network.
