Tropical storm Shanshan spawns near Mariana Islands in Pacific

Tropical storm Shanshan is expected to come close to Tokyo's remote Ogasawara island chain in the western Pacific on Sunday. It is likely to approach western and eastern Japan next week, while gaining strength.

The Japan Meteorological Agency said a tropical depression developed into the tropical storm near the Mariana Islands on Thursday. The storm is expected to move slowly northwest before getting close to the Ogasawara Islands. Officials are calling on people to stay updated on the latest weather information.