For sufferers of kafunshou (pollen allergy) or hay fever, this is shaping up into a really bad year. Because of last summer's sweltering heat, the amount of cedar pollen in the air is forecast to rise two or three times above average, possibly exceeding the worst-ever level of 1995. Reports say that, in some regions, the pollen count will be several dozen to 100 times greater than last year, when the level was relatively low.
The most effective means of self-defense for individuals is to begin treatment before the pollen count peaks, as this helps to alleviate symptoms. At the same time, though, since hay fever has now become a sort of national ailment, the government should promote forceful countermeasures.
A government survey conducted in 1998 showed that the number of hay-fever sufferers nationwide accounted for 20 percent of the population. The number of people suffering from hay fever caused by cedar pollen alone was 20 million, or 16 percent of the population. These figures have risen further since then.