Two Rugby World Cup matches cancelled as Super Typhoon approaches

A super typhoon bore down on Japan on Thursday forcing the cancellation of two rugby World Cup matches and some transport, and threatening to disrupt Japan’s Formula One Grand Prix race this weekend.

Typhoon Hagibis is headed north over the Pacific towards Japan’s main island.

It could make landfall on Saturday, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.

Rugby World Cup organizers have cancelled Saturday’s game between England and France as well as New Zealand’s match against Italy due to the risk from the typhoon, while a Sunday game between hosts Japan and Scotland is in doubt.

The sport’s governing body, World Rugby, and tournament officials said the decision had been taken due to the expected disruption, particularly to transport.

The Japanese airline ANA will cancel all domestic flights to and from Tokyo’s Haneda airport and Narita airport in Chiba prefecture, east of Tokyo, on Saturday, it said on its website.

Japan Airlines has also cancelled more than 90% of domestic flights to and from those airports on Saturday, public broadcaster NHK reported.

Parts of Japan are still recovering from a devastating typhoon that struck a month ago.