People walk along a street under heavy rain brought by an approaching typhoon in Tokyo on Sept 8, 2023. (PHOTO / AFP)

TOKYO — Typhoon Yun-yeung is approaching central and eastern Japan and is expected to make landfall Friday afternoon, according to the Japanese Meteorological Agency (JMA).

The weather agency said that as of 3:00 am local time on Friday, Yun-yeung was situated over Pacific waters 170 km southeast of Wakayama Prefecture and moving north at a speed of about 15 km per hour.

Thunderstorms are forecast for the central region of Tokai through Friday night and the eastern region of Kanto-Koshin

READ MORE: Japan braces for Typhoon Lan with air, rail cancellations

Rain is intensifying in eastern areas along the Pacific, with Kozushima Island of the Izu Islands reporting a downpour of 136.5 mm in six hours through 5:00 am local time, said the JMA.

Thunderstorms are forecast for the central region of Tokai through Friday night and the eastern region of Kanto-Koshin and the northeastern region of Tohoku through Saturday, it added, warning that those areas could see up to 250 mm of rain in the next 24 hours alone.

READ MORE: Typhoon Khanun lashes Japan, S.Korea; another storm looms

The JMA called on people to watch out for mudslides, flooding in low-lying areas and swollen rivers, with mudslide alerts having already been issued in the Izu Islands and in Chiba Prefecture.