Chinese Smog Creeps over Japan

As previously reported, China is presently trying to make head and tail of a major air pollution crisis which is taking its toll on public health in several of its regions.

Recent news on this topic says that the Chinese smog is now making its way towards Japan, and that soon enough it might engulf this country as well.

Information made available to the general public thus far shows that, over the past few days, air quality monitoring stations located in Japan's western regions have reported an increase in air pollution levels.

More precisely, it looks like the people living in these areas are now facing air pollution levels that exceed government limits, meaning that they are running the risk of having their health significantly affected.

New Europe reports that, according to Atsushi Shimizu, a specialist currently working with Japan's National Institute for Environmental Studies, the greatest problem the country's western regions are experiencing is an increase in the concentrations of airborne tiny particulate matter.

Atsushi Shimizu also wished to emphasize the fact that most of these airborne particles were being brought in by the west winds blowing from the Asian Mainland.

Commenting on this newly emerging crisis, a spokesperson for the Japanese Environment Ministry made a case of how, “Access to our air-pollution monitoring system has been almost impossible since last week, and the telephone here has been constantly ringing because worried people keep asking us about the impact on health.”

Researchers explain that the fine particulate matter now creeping over Japan is made up of fine particles that get released into the environment together with car exhaust and industrial wastes.

Seeing how their entering an individual's organism can cause medical conditions such as asthma, heart disease and lung cancer, people are advised to remain indoors and only go out if they have pressing issues to deal with.

Children and elders are advised to display even more caution, seeing how their bodies are considerably more vulnerable to the effects of smog.