TOKYO (XINHUA) - Japan's weather agency on Wednesday (Sept 2) said a powerful typhoon is making its way from the Nagasaki region to the northern part of Japan's main island of Kyushu.

Typhoon Maysak, which has already pummelled Japan's southernmost prefecture of Okinawa and injured eight people, is moving north at a speed of 15kmh, Japan's Meteorological Agency (JMA) said.

According to the agency, the powerful storm has a central atmospheric pressure of 940 hectopascals and is packing winds at its core of up to 162kmh.

Maysak's maximum instantaneous wind velocity was clocked at 234kmh, the JMA said, warning people to be vigilant for gusty winds, high waves and storm surges, as well as possible landslides, flooding and swollen rivers.

Shinkansen bullet train services have been temporarily suspended as a result of the typhoon between Hiroshima and Hakata stations on the Sanyo Shinkansen Line.

West Japan Railway said the suspension of the service will continue until at least 8am local time on Thursday.

The JMA said Typhoon Maysak will likely to continue on a northern trajectory towards the northern area of Kyushu through Thursday, with unstable atmospheric conditions in western Japan leading to thunderstorms and torrential downpours.

Through Thursday, the Kyushu, Shikoku and Tokai regions are likely to be lashed by downpours of up to 80mm per hour while also being struck by thunderstorms, the JMA said.

The weather agency also said for the 24 hours through Thursday morning, up to 300mm of rain is expected in the Shikoku region, and as much as 250mm in Kyushu and Tokai.

Over the 48-hour period through Friday morning, meanwhile, Shikoku and Tokai may well be inundated by 100 to 200mm of rain, the JMA said.