Typhoon Dolphin has cut power to at least 44,000 buildings and injured at least five people after striking Japan's Okinawa island on Saturday.
Flights to and from Okinawa's main airport – Naha International Airport – were cancelled as it closed on Friday when the storm arrived.
The storm reached maximum wind speeds of 162 km/h (101 mph) on Saturday and was classified by the Japan Meteorological Agency as a "very strong" typhoon, warning of high waves, storm surges and lightning strikes.
Dolphin is expected to make landfall on China's eastern coast late on Sunday or early on Monday, and authorities have shut ports and schools ahead of its arrival.
In Japan, the main areas affected are the islands of Okinawa and Amami in the far south‑west of the country.
Five elderly people suffered non‑life‑threatening injuries; three fell because of the strong winds.
NHK reports numerous accounts of trees being toppled by strong winds throughout Nago city in Okinawa, and a car was found overturned and leaking oil in a parking lot.
In China, Zhejiang's Ningbo Lishe International Airport stopped operations from 23:30 local time on Saturday and suspended all flights on Sunday.
A coastal typhoon alert was raised to its highest level, and port and ferry services were halted in Zhejiang province.
The western Pacific typhoon season usually runs from May to October, with this year being a strong El Niño year that can make storms more intense.
