As a 30-plus-year subscriber to The Japan Times, I have always had the greatest respect for this newspaper, which I have relied on for good journalism and insightful reports. I would like, however, to mention the weather forecast printed on the last page, which I find quite irritating as the temperatures in the extended forecasts are invariably below those of the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA).

Latest example was the Sept. 18 edition. As the Tokyo forecast for the next day was 23 degrees Celsius for the high temperature and 18 for the low, I could not help wondering why, in addition to being unseasonable cool for this time of year, the forecast differed so much from JMA's prediction of 31 and 24 degrees. I don't see the point in checking The Japan Times' weather forecast anymore.

The opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are the writer's own and do not necessarily reflect the policies of The Japan Times.

name withheld by request