Japan’s southern Okinawa Islands prepare as tropical storm approaches

By JOHNSON LAI and HIROYUKI KOMAE
Associated Press

NAHA, Japan (AP) — A weakened Tropical Storm Mawar headed toward Japan’s southern archipelago of Okinawa, leading the airport and businesses to close and fishermen to batten down their boats in preparation. Many residents in the prefectural capital of Naha on the main Okinawan island, where about 20,000 U.S. forces are based, appeared unworried, even as they took precautions. The Japan Meteorological Agency said that Mawar, formerly a typhoon but now packing winds of up to 66 miles per hour, was around Miyako, one of Okinawa’s remote islands. It said the storm could approach Okinawa’s main island on Friday and bring powerful rainstorms to the region.