Climate change in Japan

Climate change in Japan is the observed and projected alteration of the country’s temperatures, precipitation, seas, and related environmental conditions, driven chiefly by global warming.

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Heat wave: A period of unusually hot weather that persists for several days or longer. Rising temperatures increase Japan’s exposure to dangerous summer heat and heat-related illness.
East Asian monsoon: Seasonal wind and rainfall systems that bring wet summers and dry winters across East Asia. Monsoon behavior shapes Japan’s seasonal precipitation and its response to a warmer atmosphere.
Climate adaptation: Adjustments in human or natural systems that reduce harm from actual or expected climate effects. Japan uses adaptation planning to prepare infrastructure, communities, and ecosystems for climate hazards.
Climate model: A mathematical representation of climate processes used to simulate past, present, or future climate. Models produce Japan’s projections but differ in regional detail and simulated hazards.
Japan Meteorological Agency: Japan’s national agency for meteorological, hydrological, seismological, and related observations and forecasts. Its long-running records underpin national assessments of Japan’s observed climate trends.
Extreme precipitation: Precipitation events with unusually high intensity or totals relative to a location’s climate. Warmer air and changing rainfall patterns heighten risks from intense rain and flooding.
梅雨: Japan’s early-summer rainy season, produced by a persistent front and moist airflows. Changes in the Baiu front can alter the timing and intensity of Japanese rainfall.
Climate change mitigation: Actions that reduce greenhouse-gas emissions or increase their removal from the atmosphere. Japan’s emissions choices influence how much additional warming and associated risk occurs.
Shared Socioeconomic Pathways: Scenarios describing alternative global socioeconomic futures used in climate research. Different pathways yield different levels of future warming and risk for Japan.
Instrumental temperature record: A time series of temperatures measured with instruments at weather stations or other observing sites. Station observations establish the historical warming measured across Japan.