Table of Contents
Japan has announced a plan to reduce hay fever caused by pollen from cedar and cypress trees. The country wants to cut the amount of pollen by 50% in the next 30 years.
Hay fever affects more than 40 percent of the population, so the government plans to cut down 70,000 hectares of cedar trees each year for the next decade. This is an increase from the current 50,000 hectares.
The government plans to replace the cedar and cypress trees with another tree that produces less pollen.
Many cedar trees were planted after World War II for reforestation during a period of rapid economic growth.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida says that this problem cannot be solved overnight. The new plans will be included in the annual economic policy in June.
The government is encouraging home construction companies to use domestic cedar trees for new houses.
The government also aims to increase the production of allergy medicines to ensure there is enough supply for 1 million people, compared to the current 250,000. They will also use artificial intelligence to improve pollen forecasts and provide better information to the public.
Although there is no official data, a survey showed that the percentage of people affected by hay fever has been increasing over the years. 42.5 percent were affected in 2019, compared to 29.8 percent in 2008, and 19.6 percent in 1998.
Vocabulary
- Announce – share information openly; to tell the public; to make a statement; to report
- Reduce – to make less; make smaller; decrease; bring down; shrink
- Hay fever – An allergic reaction that occurs because of pollen or other allergens, causing symptoms such as sneezing, itchy eyes, and a runny nose; feeling sick because of flowers and plants
- Cause – make something (usually bad) happen; create
- Pollen – a fine powder created by plants that contains tiny pieces which help other plants grow
- Cut – to reduce the amount or number of something; to let go; to fire; to lay off
- Amount – quantity; number; total; sum; size
- Population – all the people living in a particular country, area, or place
- Hectare – A unit of measure for areas of land, a square with 100-meter sides
- Decade – 10 years; a 10-year period
- Replace – to take the place of; to substitute; to come after; to fill in; swap; exchange
- Produce – to create or make something
- Reforestation – The process of planting trees or restoring forests in areas where they have been cut down or destroyed
- Period – a length of time; or portion of time
- Rapid – quick; fast
- Rapid economic growth – A big increase in the overall economic activity of a country or region that happens quickly; when businesses in a country or area grow quickly and earn a lot of money
- Prime Minister – the head or leader of an elected government of a country
- Overnight – quickly; after a period of one night
- Include – to contain; incorporate; to be part of; to have something smaller as a part of it;
- Annual – every year; yearly
- Economic policy – A plan or rules made by the government or organization to control and manage the economy, including how money is spent
- Encourage – suggest that someone does something; persuade; urge; push
- Construction – the action of building something; creation; the process of making a building
- Domestic – inside the country; not foreign;
- Aim – want to; intend to; try to; plan to
- Allergy – When your body’s defense system reacts badly to something like pollen, dust, or certain foods, causing problems like itching, sneezing, or swelling
- Ensure – to make sure that something happens or is done correctly
- Artificial intelligence (AI) – human intelligence in a machine. See more here.
- Forecast – A prediction, estimate, or guess of future events or conditions based on current information and analysis
- Public – general people, all people, citizens; available for all people; open to everyone
- Survey – a poll or questionnaire; a set of questions for the public to understand opinion
- Show – to prove something or make the truth or existence of something known; confirm; demonstrate; to display; to represent
Quiz
Discussion Questions
- What do you think about Japan’s plan to cut down cedar trees to reduce hay fever? Are there any potential drawbacks or negative aspects?
- In your opinion, what other measures could be taken to reduce hay fever caused by pollen?
- Have you personally been affected by hay fever or do you know someone who has? How does it impact daily life?
- Do you think pollen or hay fever forecasts are useful? Why or why not?
Video
Original Story
