TOKYO: More than 810,000 people living in Japan's southern and southwestern prefectures were ordered to immediately evacuate on Sunday due to approaching Typhoon Haishen, the NHK broadcaster reported.
The evacuation was recommended to another 5.5 million people in 10 prefectures of the country.
According to Japan's weather officials, Haishen, at 17:00 local time (08:00 GMT) was 70 kilometers (43 miles) away from the country's southern Yakushima island and was en route to the north at 35 kilometers per hour (22 miles per hour).
The latest data suggests that atmospheric pressure in Haishen's centre is 945 hectopascals, while its wind power is 162 kilometers per hour and gusts are up to 216 kilometers per hour.
Haishen is expected to hit Japan's Kyushu island on Sunday night.