Japan

Two agencies in Japan monitor UV radiation: The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), and the National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES). The JMA currently operates seven Brewer spectrophotometers, while five others have ceased operation. The seven operating Brewers are MarkII's and Mark III's measuring between 290 and 325 nm every .5 nm. Mr. Sasaki Toru of JMA's Ozone Layer Monitoring Office is in charge of this network. They have five of the Brewers in Japan and two in Antartica. The five Brewers located in Japan cover a broad latitudinal gradient.

For monitoring harmful solar ultraviolet radiation reaching the Earth's surf ace, the JMA started to observe solar spectral irradiance at Tsukuba (36.1 N) since January of 1990, and at Sapporo (43.1 N), Kagoshima (31.6 N), and Naha (26.2 N) since January 1, 1991. This monitoring is performed by ground-based Brewer spectrophotometers.

Spectral UV irradiance is observed within 5 minutes of every hour from 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset. Spectral UV irradiance is measured by scanning at every 0.5 nm wavelength between 290 nm and 325 nm. One observation takes about 8 minutes. Instrument calibrations are made by using internal, external, and NIST lamps. This data is submitted to the World Ozone and UV Radiation Data Center (WOUDC) every two months. The data is also printed in the Annual Report on Monitoring of the Ozone Layer of JMA, including ozone data observed at the above mentioned four stations. Analytical results of these data are summarized in the Annual Report of the Ozone Layer Monitoring in Japan. All JMA instrumentation is regularly calibrated and participates in intercomparison exercises. Please contact Mr. Toru with any questions or requests for data.

The one instrument operated by NIES was in Tsukuba until November of 1993, when it was moved to Tokyo to monitor in a high population area. Dr. Naoki Furuta is in charge of data quality for this monitoring. Nobuo Munakata at the Japanese National Cancer Center Research Institute has been measuring UV by spore dosimetry since 1980. Please contact Dr. Furata with any questions or requests for data.

Contact Information:

Mr. Sasaki Toru
Japan Meteorological Agency
Ozone Layer Monitoring Office
1-3-4 Otemachi
Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; 100-8122 Japan
Tel: +81-3-3287-3439
Fax: +81-3-3211-4640 ozone@hq.kishou.go.jp

Dr. Naoki Furuta
Center for Global Environmental Research
National Institute for Environmental Studies
16-2 Onogawa, Tsukuba
Ibaraki 305
JAPAN

JMA Brewer Network (** = non-operational)
Measurements are taken hourly throughout the day; 290-325 nm, every .5 nm.
Instrument Network Station Name Nearest Town Lat/Lon Installed
Brewer Mark II JMA Syowa Antarctica 69.00S,39.58E Sep. 1993
Brewer Mark II JMA Tsukuba Tsukuba 36.05N,140.12E Sep. 1994
Brewer Mark III JMA Syowa Antarctica 69.00S,39.58E Sep. 1999
Brewer Mark III JMA Sapporo Sapporo 43.06N,141.32E Mar. 2001
Brewer Mark III JMA Kagoshima Kagoshima 31.55N,130.54E Mar. 2001
Brewer Mark III JMA Tsukuba Tsukuba 36.05N,140.12E Mar. 2001
Brewer Mark III JMA Naha Naha 26.20N,127.68E Mar. 2001
Brewer Mark II** JMA Syowa Syowa 69.00S,39.58E Sep. 1993
Brewer Mark II** JMA Tsukuba Tsukuba 36.05N,140.12E Oct. 1989
Brewer Mark II** JMA Sapporo Sapporo 43.06N,141.32E Oct. 1990
Brewer Mark II** JMA Kagaoshima Kagoshima 31.55N,130.54E Oct. 1990
Brewer Mark II** JMA Naha Naha 26.20N,127.68E Sep. 1993

National Institute for Environmental Research (Naoki Furuta)
Instrument Location Installed
97 Brewer (#057) * Tokyo
35 40.21' N 139 45.38 E		 Nov. 1993
*(This instrument was in Tsukuba for feasibility studies)

The Japan Met Agency provides UV forecasts and past UV information for a number of sites within Japan on a map. Click on Ultraviolet ray information.

Compiled by E.C. Weatherhead, Gregory Noonan, and ENV/AREP/WMO.