Every year, Japan is affected by frequent typhoons and torrential rainstorms.

Typhoons are tropical storms formed in the northwestern Pacific. There were 39 typhoons in 1967, the worst year since 1951. The lightest year was 1998, with 16. In an average year, 27 typhoons are formed, of which 11 approach the Japanese archipelago and three actually strike land.

In 2004, ten typhoons directly struck Japan, the highest number for any year on record. They caused heavy damage, including deaths and injuries, in many parts of the country.

A torrential rain is a non-typhoon storm that drops at least five centimeters, or two inches, of rain an hour, causing near-zero visibility. During 1998 there were more than 400 torrential rainstorms in Japan.

These dangerous events are a fact of life, and we all need to know how to protect ourselves when they strike. Here we will acquaint you with disaster prevention measures in Japan, and also inform you how to respond if a typhoon or torrential rainstorm hits your area.