Japan's Chiba Prefecture recorded a 24‑hour rainfall total exceeding 360 mm, triggering landslides, power cuts and flooding that left up to six people dead and stranded roughly 7,000 travelers at Narita International Airport overnight during the holiday week.
Governor Toshihito Kumagai described the event as unprecedented, while the Japan Meteorological Agency issued its highest‑level heavy‑rain warning for Chiba. Rainfall peaked at 115 mm in one hour in Chiba city and 97 mm in Sakura, with more than 100 mm per hour recorded elsewhere. The Self‑Defense Forces deployed soldiers and buses to evacuate thousands, and power outages affected about 25,000‑26,000 households.
Transport networks were crippled: major highways linking Narita to Tokyo were closed, rail services to the airport were suspended until Friday afternoon, and Japan Airlines warned of possible delays though no cancellations were expected. The disruption affected tourism flows, including visitors to Tokyo Disney Resort, and prompted emergency shelters to distribute water, food and sleeping bags.
Fatality counts differ, with some accounts reporting four deaths while others cite six, and rainfall totals vary between a 24‑hour accumulation of over 360 mm and hourly peaks exceeding 100 mm, the latter described as the nation’s highest recorded precipitation.