A powerful typhoon blew over Japan's southernmost islands early Tuesday on course for Japan's main southern island and later the Korean Peninsula.

Warnings issued for the area around Okinawa, home to US military bases, described gusts strong enough to cause some homes to collapse and extremely high tides.

The Japanese Meteorological Agency (JMA) said Typhoon Maysak was expected to later make landfall on Kyushu, Japan's main southern island, bringing strong winds and rain, then hit South Korea by Thursday.

Maysak had maximum winds of 162 kph at its centre at daybreak, according to the JMA.

The typhoon was forecast to strengthen slightly as it headed toward Kyushu.

Last week, a typhoon that hit the Korean Peninsula caused minor damage in both nations.

Japan's southern islands are often been hit by mudslides and flooding during typhoon season.