At 05:00 on October 29, China's Central Meteorological Observatory located Super Typhoon In-Fa (No. 31) about 1,065 km east-southeast of Saipan, Guam (15.7N, 155.7E), with maximum winds of 52 m/s (Category 16 on China's scale) and a central pressure of 935 hPa. The system is moving west at 30-35 km/h while intensifying, with some analyses putting its peak near 65 m/s. It is forecast to have no impact on China's coastal waters.
The turning point still carries uncertainty. Ensemble forecasts increasingly converge on a northward recurvature around October 31 to November 2, but the spread remains between 130E and 140E; a more westerly turn could disturb service connections toward Japan's southern waters and Kanto for arrivals on November 2-6. Note also that 2026 has already produced 31 named storms in the Western Pacific — matching the highest count this century — so winter-season weather buffers should be widened across the board.
At origin ports, East China is absorbing a post-typhoon surge after Typhoon Champi (No. 30): industry port monitoring (Wikeyun-type platform data) shows 139 vessels waiting at Shanghai and Ningbo combined on October 28 (74 + 65), more than double the pre-typhoon low of 45 on October 21, with about 19% of vessels at Shanghai berthing over 48 hours. With several new Southeast Asia services pulling near-sea capacity away in early November, Kanto-bound space is likely to tighten.
Destination ports, by contrast, have largely cleared: over the past 7 days Tokyo received 82 container vessels with only ~4% staying beyond 48 hours and a median dwell of 19 hours, a sharp improvement from October 26 (86 vessels / 14%); Yokohama's median dwell is 16 hours, Osaka 13 hours, and Hitachinaka (Ibaraki) just 9 hours — a relatively easy pickup window for Kanto consignees this week. On rates, the Shanghai Shipping Exchange's October 23 SCFI showed Kansai at USD 326/TEU (down 2) and Kanto at USD 335/TEU (up 4), widening the Kanto premium to USD 9 (reference rates; next index release October 30).
Our advice: for Kanto arrivals on November 2-6, confirm re-routing/postponement terms with carriers in advance; allow a 1-1.5 day cut-off buffer; book Japan-lane space 7-10 days ahead for early November; and consider a 1-2 day weather allowance clause for the northeast-monsoon season. We offer one-stop China-to-Japan ocean FCL/LCL, air freight, two-side customs clearance and door delivery to Tokyo, Yokohama, Nagoya, Osaka and other major ports — check published rates via the rate calculator (https://www.4006519886.cn/smart-oa/price.php), track shipments (https://www.4006519886.cn/smart-oa/track.php), use online consultation, or click sales@ruixincargo.com to send your cargo details directly.