This year, Japan has experienced the warmest spring ever recorded, amid rising greenhouse gas emissions and the El Niño phenomenon driving global temperatures higher.
On June 1, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) reported that temperatures in March, April, and May were 1.59 degrees Celsius above average. This has made this spring the hottest since the JMA began its measurements in 1898.
The Tokyo skyline viewed through a layer of dusty air from the I-link Town observation deck on April 13. (Photo: AFP).
“Global warming is causing record temperatures to occur more frequently, and they are expected to become even more common in the future as global warming continues,” the JMA stated. The agency also noted that the average sea surface temperatures around Japan in March, April, and May were the third highest since 1982.
Last month, the United Nations indicated that it is almost certain that the period from 2023 to 2027 will be the hottest five-year span on record. This is partly due to the high likelihood that the El Niño weather phenomenon will develop in the coming months, further increasing global temperatures.
El Niño is a naturally occurring climate pattern often associated with global warming, causing droughts in some areas and heavy rainfall in others. The most recent occurrence of this phenomenon was in 2018-2019.
The global average temperature in 2022 was 1.15 degrees Celsius higher than the average from 1850 to 1900. Much of South Asia and Southeast Asia has endured spring heat waves as global warming exacerbates extreme weather conditions. On May 29, Shanghai recorded its hottest May day in over 100 years, exceeding the previous record by a full degree Celsius.
Scientists have stated that climate change is increasing the risk of heavy rainfall in Japan and other areas, as a warmer atmosphere holds more moisture. Heavy rains in 2021 caused devastating landslides in Atami, resulting in 27 fatalities. In 2018, flooding and landslides during the rainy season killed over 200 people in western Japan.
Japan holds the rotating presidency of the G7 in 2023. This year’s G7 is committed to accelerating the phase-out of fossil fuels that contribute to global warming. However, this group of leading economies has been unable to agree on any new deadlines for ending polluting energy sources like coal.
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