Typhoon Phanfone is already causing rains and strong winds from a distance on Japan's main island of Honshu, and officials warn the typhoon itself could hit Tokyo within 24 hours.

Phanfone was moving north quickly from its position about 300 kilometres (190 miles) southwest of Tokyo, and with winds gusting at up to 145 km/h (90 mph).

The typhoon was supposed to lash Tokyo sometime on Monday, the Japanese Meteorological Agency said.

High winds did not deter some beachgoers

Already, four people have reportedly disappeared off the coast of Kanagawa prefecture, west of the capital, in extremely rough seas.

The weather warnings did not stop surfers from trying to take advantage of the waves the typhoon's winds were pushing ahead of it.

Making waves

According to the US Navy's Joint Typhoon Warning Center, Phanfone is causing waves within its storm area as high as 8.5 metres.

Phanfone, Laotian for animal, was expected to head north up Japan's coast.

It was supposed to hit the small Pacific island of Hachijojima on Sunday.

Phanfone, the season's 13th typhoon, comes about a month after Typhoon Fengshen hit Japan.

That typhoon, which was downgraded to a tropical storm, caused a Panamanian freighter to run aground off the south-western coast of Japan. Four crew members died in the incident.