The Meteorological Agency says Typhoon Phanfone was off the coast of Shikoku in southwestern Japan on Sunday night, packing winds of up to 144 kilometers per hour after hitting the southern regions of Okinawa and Kyushu.
Japan's Coast Guard says three US Air Force members were washed away by high waves Sunday, with one found dead and the other two still missing. The Air Force said only that three of its airmen were missing.
The agency predicts up to 40 centimeters of rain in central Japan by Monday morning.