Japan issues warnings as powerful typhoon heads toward southern islands of Okinawa

TOKYO – Japan has issued warnings over a powerful typhoon churning toward the southern islands of Okinawa.

The Japan Meteorological Agency says Typhoon Neoguri is expected to reach Okinawa early Tuesday, packing winds up to 250 kilometers (154 miles) per hour. It says the storm could be one of the strongest to hit Japan in decades, generating waves up to 14 meters (46 feet) high.

Government leaders held an emergency meeting Monday and urged local governments and residents to take maximum precautions.

Forecasts show the storm tracking toward Kyushu island and then across Japan's main island of Honshu.

The typhoon comes on the tail end of Japan's rainy season, and landslide warnings already are in effect for some areas due to those seasonal downpours.