Research by the Ministry of the Environment reveals that concentrations of PM2.5, the ultrafine particulate matter that is thought to have adverse health effects, are higher on days when yellow dust blows in from the Asian continent. The survey, which was based on 10 years of observational data, also revealed that the prefectural capitals of Kyushu reported the most days of yellow sand storms.Yellow sand originates from the Gobi Desert and other parts of the Chinese hinterland and is carried into Japan by wind currents, primarily between March and May. In Japan, Kyushu bears the brunt of these sand storms. Over the past 10 years, Kumamoto City reported the most instances of yellow sand (114 days), followed by Oita City (100 days) and Fukuoka City (90 days). Over the past 10 years, PM2.5 concentrations have exceeded the national threshold of 35 mg/day 4.1% of the time, but this figure jumps to 40.1% during the period when yellow sand is blowing into Japan. Source: Nishinippon Shimbun 4/23
Photo source: http://showcase.city.fukuoka.lg.jp/photo/img0654.html
