High pollen count expected this year, ministry warns
TOKYO —
The Environment Ministry on Wednesday announced that the pollen season has begun in Kyoto. The annual release of tree pollen, which now causes hay fever in an estimated 25 million people in Japan, is carefully monitored in Japan, where countermeasures have thus far failed to control the vast number of pollen-producing trees.
Cryptomeria (known as “sugi” in Japanese) and Japanese cypress (known as “hinoki”) trees were planted after World War II to aid rebuilding, but were later abandoned for cheaper alternatives. This resulted in dense forestation of more mature, pollen-producing trees.
According to pollen measuring stations, the annual pollen release began on Feb 7, TBS reported. The ministry said this year is likely to be the third highest on record, with pollen counts up to five or six times that of last year.
The ministry advised hay fever sufferers to wear surgical masks and glasses when outdoors, and to dry their clothes inside.
Japan Today
Order by Time Order by Popularity
13 Comments
Login to comment
-1
Saulo Akazawa
Is this article repeated every single year???
0
Pozzy
@Saulo: might be, but I'm a bit worried about this. I had hay fever for the first time EVER last year after 5 years in JP. If it's actually 5-6 times more than last year, I'm going to be a watery sneezing mess.
1
enricopallazzo
This article is obviously not repeated every year because the information is different every year. If you had hay fever, you would want to know what's going on with the pollen count.
0
LostinNagoya
The worst thing that ever happened to me in Japan was this kafunsho fever. Somedays I could not even sleep, I spent at least 200,000 yen on medicines, to no a avail.
0
smithinjapan
Just have to grin and bear it, unfortunately. What would actually be news is a LOWER pollen count than normal, as it seems we're faced with news that it will be higher year after year.
0
BurakuminDes
You'd be best off moving to Hokkaido. I've never been there but have been told hayfever is much less common there due to less plantations of cypress. Can anyone confirm this? BTW - my eyes have already started itching - not a good sign!
2
Serrano
I can't believe they still haven't cut down these offending trees. No, wait, I do believe it.
-6
ValentinesDay
Japan can continue to build more roads and dams than it even needed, but cannot muster the chainsaws to cut those stupid trees down and replant with bamboo.
Its amazing how Japan can be so super clever and so abysmally stupid at the same time!
0
Pidestroika
There is actually an anual estimation of the amount of pollen that will be produced? Really? How do they do that?
0
Newsman
For one thing, they can look at the rainfall from the previous year to see how well watered the trees were at the time they were primed to do whatever it is they do to produce pollen the following year, as well as high or low the temperature was at that time.
Hay fever was one of the chief culprits that drove me from Japan after years of living there. Mixed in with the air pollution that's now a regular issue from China, simply breathing is now an issue in February and March, which is a crying shame. I required a round of oral steroids, a steroid nasal spray, and eye drops with antihistamines each winter. You might also do yourself a favor if you could get away to either Hokkaido or Okinawa even for a few days, or perhaps one of the far-flung islands that a) did not have such trees planted on such a wide scale and b) are scrubbed clean with sea breezes. If you teach, it's a good time to leave Japan until April if you can manage it.
Hard to believe that one-fifth of the population has to endure this misery every year, and harder still that the government would allow doctors to profit from ameliorating allergies instead of doing the right thing and cutting the trees down.
0
pointofview
They usually say this every year.
0
LostinNagoya
While hay fever is a nightmare, I don't blame the trees at all. They're doing their thing. A tip for those who are affected by it: clean your air-con filters everyday and turn it on 24x7, freezing. It helps a lot. Also, use the nasal strip at home. It makes your nose bigger because of elasticity of cartilage, but it will return to normal size in a few hours. And take off your cloth immediately after arriving at your apato, put them in a plastic bag. This way you won't bring pollen particles to your place. Finally, you can leave Japan. One of the readons I left was kafunsho. Horrible thing.
0
movieguy
My first two years in Japan I thought I had a bad cold because I never had hayfever before. I was miserable! Claritin totally works for me and I have family send enough for me to last through June. Does anyone know what Claritin is called by doctors in Japan?
Back to top