Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Japan is gripped by mass allergies. A 1950s project is to blame
When you visit Japan in early spring, you’ll find many people wearing
masks, just like most people in the world did during the COVID pandemic. Are the
Japanese still worrying about a contagious virus or the flu? You may also realize
that many people show classic allergy symptoms, including watery eyes, frequent
sneezing, and rubbing their itchy faces. Yes, pollen allergies have become a
national health issue in Japan, and over 40% of the Japanese are estimated to suffer
from hay fever symptoms. In fact, nearly 70% of Japan’s land is covered with
forests, and around one-third of the forest area consists of sugi (cedar) and
hinoki (cypress) plantations. They were planted to cover the barren mountains
after World War II, under the massive afforestation project seven decades ago,
in the hope that these fast-growing evergreen species would reforest landscapes
quickly and provide wood for construction. The problem is that they also
produce large amounts of lightweight pollen around the same time, especially
after 30 years of plantation. ENT doctors and drug stores are very busy during
the season. Also, wild monkeys in the mountain forests and even domesticated
pets are seen suffering from hay fever symptoms. Reforestation projects with
diverse or pollen-free cedar are underway while more people of all ages are
sneezing and rubbing their itchy eyes during the high season.
Read the article and learn why so many Japanese people suffer from hay fever
symptoms.
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