ISHIGAKI: A large and powerful typhoon approached a remote chain of islands in Japan's southwest on Friday (Jul 10), prompting authorities to warn of violent winds, torrential rain, landslides and flooding in what could be the region's most destructive storm in years.Early on Friday, Typhoon Bavi was nearing Japan's Sakishima Islands - a remote chain of islands near Taiwan - with maximum sustained winds of 162kmh prompting locals to secure their homes and shops.Airlines cancelled dozens of flights in the region, including for Saturday.In Ishigaki, one of the islands in the chain popular with tourists, residents stocked up on supplies, emptying shelves of instant noodles at a local supermarket. Some public beaches, coastal parks and the local ferry terminal appeared closed, with some citing