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Japan aims to halve pollen emissions in 30 years to tackle hay fever

TOKYO - Japan on Tuesday unveiled a comprehensive policy package to tackle hay fever caused by pollen from cedar and cypress trees, aiming to halve emissions over the next 30 years.

As hay fever is estimated to affect more than 40 percent of the population, the government plans to reduce areas of planted cedar by around 20 percent over the next decade by cutting 70,000 hectares of the trees per year, compared with the current level of 50,000 hectares.

To reduce the impact of pollen allergens that trigger symptoms such as a runny nose, sneezing and itchy eyes mainly during the spring season, more than 90 percent of young cedar trees would be replaced in 10 years with species that release less pollen. ...continue reading

Source: テレ東BIZ

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