Auto giant Toyota is suspending production at all its factories in Japan because of an approaching typhoon, the company said Wednesday.

"From today's number-two (afternoon) shift through tomorrow's number-one (daytime) shift, we will suspend all the production lines at domestic factories," a Toyota spokesman told AFP.

Some 28 production lines at 14 group companies will suspend operations from Wednesday afternoon.

One line at truckmaker Hino Motors will resume operations on Thursday morning, the spokesman added.

The decision came as "extremely strong" Typhoon Shanshan approached southern Japan, packing gusts of up to 252 kilometres (157 miles) per hour and bringing widespread heavy rain.

The storm is expected to spend the rest of the week travelling above or near Japan toward its northeastern region.

The world's biggest automaker did not immediately disclose how many vehicles it produces domestically daily.