Latest news with #JapanMeteorologicalAgency
Yomiuri Shimbun
2 days ago
- Climate
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Disaster Preparedness / Preventing Heatstroke During Power Outages, Knowing the Signs
When the power goes out during a typhoon or if there is a power outage in the summer, air conditioners will not work, increasing the risk of heatstroke. Power outages can last for a long time, and it is necessary to know how to keep cool without relying on electrical appliances. You should also keep in mind what to do if you suspect heatstroke. ***According to the Japan Meteorological Agency's three-month forecast, the average nationwide temperature from June through August is expected to be higher than usual. 'In recent years, the summer heat has been extremely severe, and it is essential to take measures to prevent heatstroke on a regular basis,' said preparation and disaster prevention advisor Tomoya Takani. 'Consider preparations with goods that you usually use to prevent heatstroke.' Such items include portable fans that come with a battery and can be used even during power outages. However, fans will blow hot air in a room without air conditioning, which may increase the risk of heatstroke. If you wet your T-shirt with water, you can use the evaporation to cool your body. Power banks that are used to charge smartphones can also charge portable fans. If the power bank uses AA or AAA batteries, you can use the batteries from a TV remote or other device. In addition, you should also prepare neck coolers and sprays containing cooling ingredients like menthol. Make sure your room is well ventilated. Open at least two windows or doors to improve ventilation. It is important to open windows and doors on opposite sides of the room. Shades and drapes on windows can help prevent heat from direct sunlight. Clothing should be made of breathable and quick-drying materials such as polyester. 'Prepare for disaster while making good use of convenient tools,' said Takani. Measuring danger level 'If you are not used to the heat, you are more likely to suffer heatstroke,' said emergency physician Yasufumi Miyake, director of the Organization on Development and Progress for Education in Clinical Medicine. 'If the air conditioning is suddenly disabled in a disaster, the risk increases dramatically.' The risk level of heatstroke can be determined by the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT), which is the index calculated from data such as temperature, humidity and solar radiation. According to the guidelines of the Japanese Society of Biometeorology, the WBGT index indicates a 'Severe Warning' for heatstroke between 28 C and 31 C, and when the index is 31 C or higher, the warning rises to 'Danger.' Miyake recommends installing a heatstroke meter or other device that displays the WBGT index at home to assess the risk of heatstroke. The Japan Meteorological Agency issues a 'heatstroke alert' when the WBGT index is estimated to be 33 C or higher. 'On days when temperatures are expected to rise, consider evacuating to a shelter with an emergency power supply or to an air-conditioned car, and take action as soon as possible,' said Miyake. You should also be aware of the symptoms of heatstroke. These include feeling dizzy, numbness in the arms and legs, a headache and nausea. If the person is barely conscious or unable to speak, call an ambulance as soon as possible. If the person can speak, move them to a shady area, give them water and salt and cool their neck and armpits. If their symptoms do not improve, have the person seek medical attention. 'If you notice anything unusual, suspect heatstroke,' said Miyake.
Asahi Shimbun
4 days ago
- Climate
- Asahi Shimbun
Rainy season ends in Kanto, Hokuriku and southern Tohoku
Pedestrians walk at an intersection under clear skies in Tokyo's Ginza district on July 18. (Wataru Sekita) The Japan Meteorological Agency announced on July 18 that the rainy season has likely ended in the Kanto-Koshin, Hokuriku and southern Tohoku regions, slightly earlier than usual. This is one day earlier than average for the Kanto-Koshin region, five days earlier for the Hokuriku region and six days earlier for the southern Tohoku region. Westerly winds flowed more northerly than usual and the Pacific high pressure system strengthened over the Japanese archipelago, pushing the rainy season front to the north earlier this summer. This trend in the pressure pattern resulted in an earlier end to the rainy season nationwide. The only area where the end of the rainy season has not yet been announced is the northern Tohoku region. According to the JMA, the average temperature nationwide in June was 2.34 degrees higher than normal, the hottest since statistic-keeping began. According to preliminary figures of the Fire and Disaster Management Agency of the internal affairs ministry, 16,943 people nationwide were transported to hospitals for suspected heat stroke in June, exceeding the previous record of 15,969 in 2022.
5 days ago
- Climate
Rainy Season Ends in Tokyo, Other Areas
News from Japan Society Jul 18, 2025 13:34 (JST) Tokyo, July 18 (Jiji Press)--The Japan Meteorological Agency said Friday that this year's rainy season appears to have ended in the Kanto-Koshin eastern to central region, which includes Tokyo, as well as in the Hokuriku central region and the southern part of the Tohoku northeastern region. This leaves the northern part of Tohoku as the only area where the end of the rainy season has not yet been announced. Compared with the average year, the rainy season seems to have finished a day earlier in Kanto-Koshin, five days earlier in Hokuriku and six days earlier in the southern part of Tohoku. In comparison with last year, it appears to have ended on the same day in Kanto-Koshin, 13 days earlier in Hokuriku and 14 days earlier in the southern part of Tohoku. Toward next week, many locations from southern Tohoku to the Kyushu southwestern region are expected to experience "extremely hot" days, when temperatures rise to 35 degrees Celsius or higher, as a Pacific high-pressure system is forecast to expand near Japan. [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.] Jiji Press
NHK
5 days ago
- Climate
- NHK
Japan experts recommend AI to improve typhoon forecasts
A group of experts are recommending that Japanese weather officials improve the accuracy of typhoon forecasts by using artificial intelligence, and provide more precise data about a storm's path. The Japan Meteorological Agency asked the experts to discuss ways to improve typhoon information. The discussion began in September last year. The agency cited changes in society's responses to typhoons, including the suspension of public transportation services, and the move for wide-area evacuation. In the recommendations released Thursday, the experts called for intense observations using aircraft and ships, and the use of AI for forecasts. The Japan Meteorological Agency said European weather officials have reported that storm's paths can be projected more precisely by using the AI-based forecast models they are developing. The Japanese experts also recommended that more precise typhoon information be provided to respond to the needs of people. The agency officials plan to improve their forecasting information from around 2030. They say they will announce potential areas where typhoons are likely to form one month before they appear. The officials also said they will develop technology for more frequent updates of areas showing the predicted position of a storm. They currently update the graphic every 24 hours, but they aim to do so every six hours. Fudeyasu Hironori of Yokohama National University is the chair of the expert group. He said by using new observation technologies and the new tool of AI they will be able to make more accurate forecasts than ever before.
Yomiuri Shimbun
5 days ago
- Yomiuri Shimbun
16 Akusekijima Residents Return to Island; Others May Return Friday as Quakes Continue
KAGOSHIMA — Some of the residents of the Tokara Islands in Kagoshima Prefecture who had evacuated to Kagoshima City and other locations in response to the ongoing succession of earthquakes in the area have voluntarily returned, the Toshima village government said on Thursday. The local government had said it would decide whether to allow the residents to return to the islands if no earthquakes measuring 4 or higher on the Japanese seismic intensity scale occurred for 5 days. However, as there were no signs the quakes would end, 16 people, from pre-school age to those in their 80s, from Akusekijima Island left Kagoshima Port by a village-run ferry late on Wednesday night and arrived on the island the following morning. As of Wednesday, 52 people from Akusekijima Island and 15 people from Kodakarajima Island were evacuated. Some of the others who wish to return are expected to do so on Friday. According to the Japan Meteorological Agency there have been a total of 2,136 quakes measuring intensity 1 or higher in the area between June 21 and 10 a.m. Thursday. 'My fishing boat is still floating [in the harbor], so I want to get it back before the typhoon hits. I hope there won't be a big earthquake,' a fisherman in his 70s told The Yomiuri Shimbun on Wednesday before he boarded the ferry.
