Extremely heavy rains affecting parts of southwestern Japan over the past couple of days forced hundreds of thousands to evacuate. Severe weather continues in the region and is forecast to spread to mainland Japan, all the way to Tohoku. On Monday, July 12, 2021,...
July 12, 2021
The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) has issued its highest level rain alert for parts of Kyushu, southwestern Japan on Saturday, July 10, 2021, leading local authorities to instruct hundreds of thousands to take immediate safety measures. Reports of river flooding...
July 10, 2021
At least 20 people are missing and two were found in a state of cardiac arrest after a large-scale mudslide hit Atami, a seaside resort town in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan at around 10:30 LT on July 3, 2021. Atami is about 100 km (62 miles) SW of Tokyo. The slide...
July 03, 2021
Suwanosejima volcano erupted at 15:04 UTC on June 22, 2021 (12:04 JST, June 23), ejecting large rocks as far as 1 km (0.62 miles) from the crater and prompting the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) to raise the Volcanic Alert Level from 2 to 3 (on a scale of 1 - 5)....
June 23, 2021
A strong earthquake registered by the JMA as M6.0 hit near the east coast of Honshu, Japan at 23:58 UTC on May 13, 2021 (08:58 JST, May 14). The agency is reporting a depth of 40 km (25 miles). USGS is reporting M6.0 at a depth of 32 km (20 miles); EMSC M6.0 at a...
May 14, 2021
This year's rainy season in SW Japan has started almost a full month earlier than normal, becoming the 2nd earliest rainy season on record. "It's definitely interesting to watch because the earlier the rainy season front gets toward the north, the...
May 12, 2021
A strong earthquake registered by the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) as M6.6 hit off the coast of Miyagi Prefecture, Honshu, Japan at 01:27 UTC (10:27 JST) on May 1, 2021. The agency is reporting a depth of 60 km (37 miles). USGS is reporting M6.8 at a depth of...
May 01, 2021
Previous studies have shown elevated levels of radon in the atmosphere prior to the mainshock of a huge inland earthquake. However, in a new study, researchers revealed an anomaly in this phenomenon as they found that the concentration of the radioactive element...
April 13, 2021
Two strong eruptions were recorded at Suwanosejima volcano, Kagoshima prefecture, Japan on March 30, 2021, ejecting large rocks nearly 1 km (0.62 miles) from the crater and prompting the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) to raise the alert level to 3 (on a scale of...
March 31, 2021
A powerful earthquake registered by the JMA as M7.2 hit near the east coast of Honshu, Japan at 09:09 UTC (18:09 JST) on March 20, 2021. The agency is reporting a depth of 60 km (37 miles). USGS is reporting M7.0 at a depth of 54 km (33 miles). JMA has issued...
March 20, 2021
Heavy snow has been falling intermittently in Hokkaido, Japan, since Tuesday, February 23, 2021, with Iwamizawa city recording its second-highest snowfall of 2.05 m (6.7 feet) on Thursday, 25. It resulted in disruptions in the city, particularly in train services...
February 26, 2021
Radioactive cesium fivefold higher the permitted levels have been detected in a black rockfish found in northeastern Fukushima Prefecture in Japan, a local fishing association announced on Monday, February 22, 2021. Roughly 500 becquerels per kilogram of cesium was...
February 24, 2021
A severe snowstorm started affecting northern Japan on Tuesday, February 16, 2021, causing flooding and transport disruptions. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) warned it could become the most powerful blizzard in years and cause whiteout conditions through...
February 16, 2021
A very strong earthquake registered by the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) as M7.1 hit near the east coast of Honshu, Japan at 14:07 UTC (23:07 JST) on February 13, 2021. The agency is reporting a depth of 60 km (37 miles). USGS is reporting M7.1 at a depth of 35...
February 13, 2021
A bright fireball was seen and recorded over Japan at 11:32 UTC on January 20, 2021 (20:32 JST). The object was seen for several seconds over wide areas of Japan, including Kanto, Tokai, and Kinki. Fujii Daichi, a curator who specializes in astronomy at the...
January 21, 2021
At least one person died while 10 others sustained injuries as heavy snowfall blanketed wide areas of northeastern Japan, resulting in a multiple-vehicular accident on Tuesday, January 19, 2021. More than 130 vehicles and some 200 people were involved in the pileup...
January 19, 2021
A powerful winter storm is affecting Japan since Thursday, January 7, 2021, dropping record-breaking snow, stranding more than 1 200 vehicles, and claiming the lives of at least 10 people in snow-related incidents on January 9 and 10. Heavy snowfall fell across wide...
January 11, 2021
A powerful winter storm is affecting areas along the Sea of Japan on January 8, 2021, bringing dangerous winds, high waves, heavy snow, and blizzard conditions. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) warned heavy snow and powerful winds are expected through Sunday,...
January 08, 2021
Radiation at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant is far worse than previously thought, with the levels estimated at 10 sieverts per hour-- a fatal dose for anyone who stays in the vicinity for an hour, according to experts. This means it will be extremely difficult...
January 05, 2021
The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) issued warnings for blizzards, high waves, and freezing temperatures as a potent winter storm pressure system continues affecting the country, mainly areas along the Sea of Japan through New Year's Day. The storm could...
December 31, 2020
A strong explosive eruption took place at Suwanosejima's Mt. Otake crater at 17:51 UTC on December 27, 2020 (02:51 JST, December 28). As a result, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) raised the Alert Level from 2 to 3 -- Near-crater warning, do not approach...
December 28, 2020
A strong and shallow earthquake registered by the JMA as M6.3 hit near the east coast of Honshu, Japan at 17:23 UTC on December 20, 2020 (02:23 JST, December 21). The agency is reporting a depth of 10 km (6.2 miles). USGS is reporting M6.2 at a depth of 10 km; EMSC...
December 20, 2020
The snow was falling at an unprecedented rate over parts of Japan this week, stranding more than 2 000 vehicles and forcing authorities to deploy the military to help trapped people. In addition, more than 10 000 homes were left without electricity. JMA said that...
December 18, 2020
The season's most powerful cold air mass is bringing remarkably heavy snow to wide swaths of Japan on Wednesday, December 16, 2020. Meteorologists said the snow is falling at an unprecedented rate due to the combination of unseasonably cold Siberian air and...
December 16, 2020
Explosive eruption continues at Sakurajima volcano, with moderate to strong explosions on December 9 and 10 becoming nearly continuous. An explosion at 19:30 UTC on December 9, produced a volcanic ash column up to 3.6 km (12 000 feet) above sea level, extending...
December 10, 2020
After a few months of low-level activity, a strong explosion took place at Japan's Sakurajima volcano at 02:55 UTC on December 2, 2020. Part of the eruptive column was obscured by a meteorological cloud, making height estimate difficult. Finally saw some...
December 02, 2020
A very bright fireball streaked through the night sky over central Japan at around 16:35 UTC on November 28, 2020 (01:35 JST, November 29). The object was seen and recorded from many parts of western and central Japan and was accompanied by a rumbling noise....
November 29, 2020
Nishinoshima is a volcanic island located in the Ogasawara archipelago, south of Tokyo, Japan that had been expanding since its eruption in 2013. Nishinoshima looks like a small island, but this is actually the summit of a huge seamount that rises more than 3 km...
November 12, 2020
Tropical Storm "Dolphin" formed well south of mainland Japan on September 22, 2020, as the 12th named storm of the 2020 Pacific typhoon season. According to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), Dolphin is expected to travel close to the areas from...
September 23, 2020
A strong earthquake registered by the JMA as M6.1 hit near the east coast of Honshu, Japan at 02:44 UTC (11:44 LT) on September 12, 2020. The agency is reporting a depth of 40 km (25 miles). USGS is reporting M6.1 at a depth of 32 km (20 miles), EMSC M6.1 at 51 km...
September 12, 2020
Typhoon "Haishen" lashed Japan on September 5 and 6, 2020, before making landfall in Ulsan, South Korea at around 00:00 UTC on Monday, September 7 as a Category 2 hurricane equivalent. At least 3 people have been killed, 1 in Japan and 2 in South Korea....
September 07, 2020
Typhoon "Haishen" underwent a rapid intensification phase on September 3, 2020, and became the first super typhoon of the 2020 Pacific typhoon season. The system is forecast to pass over the Ryukyu Islands, west of Kyushu, make landfall near Busan, South...
September 04, 2020
Typhoon "Maysak" became the strongest typhoon of the year on August 31, 2020, with its eye passing very close to Kume Island, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. The storm is moving towards the Korean Peninsula, with landfall expected near Busan, South Korea on...
September 01, 2020
Tropical Storm "Maysak" (known as Julian in the Philippines) formed east of the Philippines on August 28, 2020, as the 9th named storm of the 2020 Pacific typhoon season. At 19:00 UTC on August 29, the system was upgraded to typhoon and at 21:00 UTC to...
August 31, 2020
A very bright fireball was recorded streaking through the night sky over Japan's Kanto region at 14:32 UTC (22:30 LT) on August 21, 2020. This is the second notable meteor event in Japan since July 1. One of the many eyewitnesses described it as a completely red...
August 25, 2020
On August 21, 2020, the fire department in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, received numerous calls from residents reporting an unusual smell in the area over the course of an hour. Seismologist Manabu Takahashi suggests that the strange phenomenon may be a precursor of...
August 24, 2020
Tropical Storm "Jangmi" formed late August 8, 2020, as the 5th named storm of the 2020 Pacific typhoon season. The system made landfall on the southern tip of Geoje Island and its remnants are now bringing heavy rain to the country's flood-stricken...
August 10, 2020
Continuous explosive activity was reported at Japan's Suwanosejima volcano over the past several days, with another eruption recorded on Thursday, August 6, 2020, in which the ash plume reached up to 2.3 km (7 000 feet) a.s.l. The Alert Level remains at 2 (on a...
August 07, 2020
Series of powerful eruptions were recorded at Nishinoshima volcano over the past couple of days. On August 3, 2020, the Tokyo VAAC warned about a volcanic ash plume that rose up to 4 900 m (16 00 feet) altitude. Volcanic activity surged in June 2020, with recurring...
August 04, 2020
Almost 2 500 people have been evacuated as record-high rainfall poured over northern Japan into Wednesday, July 29, 2020, causing damaging floods and landslides, including in the Yamagata Prefecture, where the Mogami River burst its banks and a mudslide left 540...
July 29, 2020
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