Tropical Storm Mirinae Is Predicted To Pass Tokyo On The Last Day Of The Olympics, But There Are No Changes To The Schedule

JAKARTA - A tropical storm is expected to hit Tokyo on the final day of the Olympics, organizers said Friday, but did not announce any changes to the games.

Japan's weather agency warned of strong winds, high waves, and the risk of landslides and flooding along the eastern coastline from Saturday afternoon to Sunday when Tropical Storm Mirinae is expected to pass through Tokyo.

The Olympics closing ceremony was held on Sunday evening, while the finals of several sports, including water polo and rhythmic gymnastics, took place at indoor arenas in Tokyo on Sunday afternoon.

Cycling is also still scheduled to take place in Shizuoka, southwest of Tokyo, while the men's marathon will begin Sunday morning in the far northern city of Sapporo.

"We are firmly and calmly observing the storm's path", said Masa Takaya, spokesman for the Tokyo 2020 organizing committee.

"This needs to be informed objectively so that we can avoid overreacting", said Takaya.

Last week, a storm also hit Japan, forcing Olympic organizers to reschedule some rowing and archery events, but advancing the surf surfing final to take advantage of the strong waves before the storm.

On Friday, Mirinae was reported to be about 100 kilometers north of the island of Minamidaito, near the southern archipelago of Okinawa.

The storm is moving east, with a force of up to 108 kilometers per hour.

Another tropical storm is in the Taiwan strait, moving towards Japan.

Japan's hurricane season lasts from around May to October, and peaks in August and September.

In 2019, Typhoon Hagibis hit Japan as it hosted the Rugby World Cup, killing more than 100 people.