Japan is facing record-breaking temperatures in April, a concerning sign that has sparked worries about the impact on human health and the environment. Thermometers in central Tokyo soared to a high of 26.1 degrees Celsius (78.9 degrees Fahrenheit) on Saturday afternoon, a temperature typically not seen in the city until mid-June. Several other cities across Japan similarly recorded unusually warm conditions for the time of year, with Sano in Tochigi prefecture, just north of Tokyo, experiencing the highest temperature of 27.9 degrees (82.2 degrees Fahrenheit). The Japan Meteorological Agency has blamed the elevated temperatures on a high-pressure system moving over the main island of Honshu, with Isesaki in Gunma prefecture, central Japan, reporting a maximum temperature of 27.1 degrees (80.8 degrees Fahrenheit) and the city of Funabashi, east of Tokyo, reaching 26.6 degrees (79.9 degrees Fahrenheit). The agency has warned that temperatures will continue to rise over the summer, raising concerns about the potential health risks for Japan’s elderly population. In late July last year, the agency issued a nationwide warning of “once-in-a-decade temperatures”, with spot temperatures nudging 40 degrees (104 degrees Fahrenheit). The daytime temperature for July in Japan typically averages around 30 degrees (86 degrees Fahrenheit) and 23 degrees (73.4 degrees Fahrenheit) at night, but both figures have been climbing in recent years, and this summer is expected to be no exception. The Japan Meteorological Agency has predicted a 60 percent likelihood of the southern two-thirds of the nation experiencing above-normal temperatures in the April-to-June quarter, with the Tohoku region of northern Japan and Hokkaido having a 50 percent likelihood of elevated temperatures. The possibility of higher-than-average temperatures increases to 70 percent in the islands of the Okinawa archipelago for the June-August period. In a separate report, the agency noted that the surface temperature of the ocean surrounding Japan reached a record high between June and February for the third consecutive year. Ocean monitors in Sendai Bay, northeast Japan, recorded a surface temperature of 13.5 degrees (56.3 degrees Fahrenheit) in mid-March, 4 degrees (7.2 degrees Fahrenheit) higher than at the same point in 2023 and 6.3 degrees (11.3 degrees Fahrenheit) above the average. Experts attribute the rising sea temperatures to long-term changes in the Black Current, a warm ocean current that flows up the east coast of Japan. Since the spring of 2023, the current has continued flowing north off the coast of the Tohoku region, bringing warmer weather and species of fish more commonly found in southern Japan. The shift has been exacerbated by global warming trends and changes in the circulatory system in the Pacific, with significant implications for future weather patterns. The current’s proximity to the coast is likely to intensify annual temperatures, potentially leading to more powerful anticyclone weather systems over Japan and East Asia. In addition to the dangers to human health, higher temperatures could also harm agriculture and fishing industries and exacerbate natural disasters. Erratic climate patterns will impact rice production, affecting the quality and size of the yield, while seasonal fruits such as grapes, strawberries, apples, and other high-end fruits could also be affected. The rising sea temperatures could cause fish to move to new areas further away from Japan’s coasts, resulting in increased fuel costs for trawlers and potentially higher fish prices. The higher possibility of natural disasters linked to climate change is another serious concern. More frequent and powerful storm systems threaten to dump greater amounts of rain over the country, leading to flooding. In low-lying coastal areas, there is a greater risk of sea defences being breached as well as major landslides in mountainous areas.
Japan Faces Record-Breaking Temperatures, Setting Off Alarm Bells
