MANILA -- Typhoon Ompong (international name: Vongfong), which is heading toward Japan, has become this year's strongest tropical cyclone, but it will spare the Philippines, weather forecasters said.

Ompong is the strongest storm on earth since Super Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) last year, the Weather Channel reported.

Yolanda killed about 6,300 people when it ravaged the Visayas in the Philippines in November 2013. Its wind speed reached 235 kilometers per hour (kph) and gusts of 275 kph.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration's (Pagasa) said that Ompong will spare the Philippines with its torrential rains and strong winds although it was located within the country's territory as of Wednesday.

But according to the US military's Joint Typhoon Warning Center, the typhoon has maximum sustained winds of 289 kph, equivalent to Category 5 hurricane.

The eye of the typhoon was just over 600 miles south-southeast of Kadena Air Base on Okinawa, moving west-northwest at about 16 kph as of 3 p.m., a Japanese weather agency said.

The Weather Channel said it is expected to intensify since it is still at sea.

On Monday, Typhoon Phanfone (Neneng) claimed seven lives, including a US airman, when it slammed Japan, according to The Weather Channel's report. (Sunnex)