Rainy Season Begins Across Western Japan

The Japan Meteorological Agency announced that the rainy season has begun in northern Kyushu, the Chugoku region, and the Kinki region ^[1].

This development means that all of western Japan has now officially entered the rainy season. The transition follows a rare weather event involving a June typhoon that made landfall one day prior to the announcement ^[1].

The agency said that the rainy season in the Chugoku region began two days earlier than average ^[1]. In contrast, the Kinki region's rainy season started 18 days later than the record-early start seen last year ^[1]. Northern Kyushu's onset occurred 19 days later than last year, though the agency said the timing in that region was about average ^[1].

Meteorologists said the start of the season was due to the onset of the June typhoon, which brought a moist air mass and an associated front into the region ^[1]. This specific typhoon marked the first time a June typhoon had made landfall in 14 years ^[1].

The shift in weather has already impacted daily life for residents. In Hiroshima City, a reporter said the smell of asphalt was present as light rain began to fall shortly before 2 p.m. ^[2]. Local residents expressed frustration over the damp conditions, with one person saying that laundry will not dry ^[2]. Another resident, a child on the street, said their clothes were completely soaked ^[2].

Residents in these regions typically prepare for the "tsuyu" period, characterized by persistent rain and high humidity, which can lead to flooding and landslides in mountainous areas ^[1].