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July 13, 2025
 

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POLLEN ALLERGY

More than half of Japan's population may suffer from pollen allergies, with hay fever dubbed the nation’s "national disease" and blamed for being a drag on the economy.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Apr 21, 2025
Did I fall victim to Japan’s stealth productivity killer?
Hay fever has been dubbed Japan’s "national disease” and blamed as a major drag on productivity.
Urbanization is amplifying pollen-related allergies as grasslands and soft soil give way to concrete and asphalt.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Mar 14, 2025
As pollen season peaks, Japan's allergy struggle emerges from hibernation
In Tokyo and Sendai, high cedar pollen levels will persist into late March, followed by cypress pollen peaking from late March to early April.
Cedar pollen has made its earliest appearance in Tokyo's air, so it's time to start thinking about how wearing face masks and applying other allergy-busting sprays will affect your style for the weeks to come.
LIFE / Lifestyle
Feb 8, 2025
Hay fever beauty: The aesthetics behind Japan’s allergy products
Face-sculpting masks and anti-pollen, makeup-fixing sprays can help you stay beautiful when the pollen starts flying.
Climate change and urbanization are believed to have contributed to the earliest ever observation of cedar pollen in Tokyo, on Jan. 8, an expert says.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Jan 20, 2025
Cedar pollen is already in the air in Tokyo
Tokyo officials are urging people to take steps to prevent and mitigate hay fever symptoms, as pollen counts are expected to rise in the coming weeks.
The annual white paper on forests and forestry includes a special section on pollen allergies for the first time.
JAPAN
Jun 4, 2024
Government white paper includes goal of halving cedar pollen in 30 years
The annual report on forests and forestry, adopted at a Cabinet meeting on the day, includes a special section on hay fever for the first time.
Pollen from cedar tree forests in Nagano Prefecture. The government faces an uphill battle in reducing cedar trees amid a labor shortage in the forestry industry.
JAPAN / Science & Health
May 2, 2024
Japan's pollen countermeasures face challenges amid slow cedar logging
A persistent labor shortage and tepid demand for timber stand in the way of the government's aim of reducing the trees responsible for hay fever.
Instead of suffering in sneezes when seasonal allergies have you feeling low, these medicines may be able to help.
LIFE / Lifestyle
Mar 30, 2024
Take your pick of allergy season's many remedies
A key fact about most allergy medicines is that it's better to start taking them before you actually need the relief they provide.
A majority of pollen allergy cases in Japan are caused by cedar trees, which cover 18% of Japan’s forests, due mostly to Japan’s forestation policy after World War II.
JAPAN / Science & Health / EXPLAINER
Feb 4, 2024
As hay fever season approaches, here’s what you need to know to prepare
Your eyes start itching, your nose keeps running and you can’t stop sneezing. It's nearly time for Japan's dreaded hay fever season.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Oct 11, 2023
Japan to revitalize forestry industry to counter hay fever
“We will aim to resolve hay fever, which is a social issue, and revitalize local communities through the promotion of forestry,” Kishida said.
JAPAN / Science & Health
May 30, 2023
Japan aims to halve allergy-triggering cedar pollen in 30 years
The proposal comes as pollen allergies, which are mostly caused by cedar trees, have become a major social concern, affecting an estimated 40% of the population.
JAPAN
Apr 14, 2023
Kishida's verbal slip sees Japan target new hay fever countermeasures
Steps likely to be taken are the periodic thinning of cedar trees, the utilization of the trees as timber and replanting forests with trees that produce less pollen.
Japan Times
CARTOONS / ZERO GRAVITY
Mar 25, 2023
Roger Dahl on cherry blossoms
Japan Times
JAPAN / Science & Health
Mar 22, 2023
Hay fever medicine in high demand amid high pollen count
Sales of hay fever-related items such as anti-inflammatory nasal drugs more than doubled to 210% of last year's figure in the week from Feb. 27.
BUSINESS
Mar 2, 2023
Japanese firms aim to improve employee productivity with 'hay fever allowance'
Rather than leave workers to tolerate symptoms with over-the-counter medication, the system tries to ease access to professional help for those who need it.
BUSINESS / Economy
Feb 21, 2023
Severe allergy season in Japan threatens to drag down spending
Households are expected to hold back from eating out, clothes shopping or participating in leisure activities.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Feb 13, 2023
Japan's hay fever season is here, and it's set to pack a punch
The Tokyo area is forecast to have up to twice as much pollen over an average year.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Science & Health / EXPLAINER
Oct 14, 2022
Think you've got COVID? You might have fall allergies instead
Unlike allergies from cedar and cypress pollen, which hit in the spring, fall allergies — caused by several grasses and weeds — are less recognized in Japan.
JAPAN
Feb 24, 2022
Medical experts in Japan concerned that omicron symptoms will be mistaken for hay fever
This year's hay fever season has arrived amid the spread of the omicron variant, which often leads to similar symptoms, such as sneezing and a running nose.
JAPAN
Mar 19, 2020
'Coronavirus harassment' surge suggests growing panic in Japan
In the age of the COVID-19 outbreak, the sight of someone coughing in public has become a frequent cause for suspicious stares, altercations and even maltreatment at work, leading to the emergence of what has been dubbed by Japanese media as "corohara," or coronavirus harassment.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Science & Health
Mar 11, 2020
Whatchu lookin' at? Hay fever and asthma badges help clear the virus-clouded air
Badges indicating that their holders have asthma or hay fever are proving popular in Japan amid the COVID-19 outbreak as more people face uncomfortable stares when coughing on trains or in other public places.
Tokyo hit by torrential rainfall at rush hour
People line up at Shibuya Station in Tokyo as they try to avoid the heavy rain on Thursday.
Foreign drivers in Japan to face tougher license conversion rules from October
According to the National Police Agency, there were 75,905 people who converted their foreign driver’s license to a Japanese one in 2024, up from 48,885 in 2019.
Nissan clinches $4.5 billion bond deal after orders soar
Nissan Motor has raised $4.5 billion through a junk bond sale in U.S. dollars and euros, part of which carries a record-high coupon rate.
Chinese fighters came within 30 meters of Japanese spy aircraft, Tokyo says
A Chinese JH-7 fighter jet makes an near an Air Self-Defense Force YS-11EB surveillance aircraft over the East China Sea this week in this image released Thursday.
What Japanese politics could look like after Upper House election
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, who heads the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (center) waves to attendees as he departs after delivering a campaign speech in Yokohama on Sunday.
An emoji used to say it all. Now it might say too much.
Apple’s Craig Federighi shows off a set of emoji at a conference on June 13, 2016. While the small pictures have proved helpful in conveying nuance in our texts, younger people are using them less often.
‘Our ultimate goal is to save every single Japanese video game’
After nearly shuttering earlier this year, the Tokyo-based Game Preservation Society continues its work to save the early history of Japanese gaming.
Rare vintage shots and first-time shows at TOP’s 30th anniversary
The museum's curators selected a wide array of works from the archives for the milestone exhibitions. Among other photos, Nobuyoshi Araki's work from the series "Winter Journey" (1990) was included in the "Continuity and Change" exhibition that concluded in June.
New IG Arena set to dial down temperature at Nagoya Basho, in a good way
With IG Arena getting glowing early reviews as the Nagoya Basho’s replacement venue, it may be a while before fans wax nostalgic about the Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium.
Once a niche, anime is now mainstream content for Netflix and other streaming services
Though Netflix remains the dominant choice globally for anime viewers, Amazon Prime Video has also invested heavily in anime, steadily adding titles to their catalogue.

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