Originating from a tropical disturbance on September 11 near the Northern Mariana Islands, Helen gradually intensified as it moved northwestward.

Accelerating due to a trough over the East China Sea, Helen rapidly approached the country and made landfall near Cape Kushimoto as a Category 3-equivalent typhoon on the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale.

Numerous vessels ran aground due to rough seas associated with the storm, including several thousand ton cargo freighters.

[1] On September 11, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) began monitoring this system as a tropical depression shortly after moving through the island chain.

At this time, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) began monitoring the newly named Tropical Storm Helen.

[1][nb 2] Additionally, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration began warning on the system, assigning it the local name Paring.

In Shionomisaki Lighthouse, just west of where the center of Helen passed, a barometric pressure of 955 mbar (hPa; 28.26 inHg) was recorded, the lowest in relation to the storm.

[7] Throughout the main island of Honshu, areas within 110 km (68 mi) of the storm's center experienced winds in excess of 120 km/h (75 mph), leading to considerable disruptions to air, sea, and land travel.

[11] In all, 87 fatalities, 158 injuries and $102 million in damage was attributed to Typhoon Helen, making it the most destructive tropical cyclone to strike Japan in 1972.