In addition to currency, trade, and disputed islands, Japan can add one more form of covert warfare it is now engaged in with China: atmospheric. We first wrote about the relentless exports of Beijing's toxic smog, which has been migrating in an eastern direction, over the East China Asia, and parking right over downtown Tokyo, nearly a month ago, but only now has Japan formally responded to what can only be classified as Chinese atmospheric sabotage. According to Japan Times, "Authorities will urge residents to stay indoors if the level of toxic
smog spreading to Japan from China is expected to exceed twice the maximum limit set by the central government, officials said." And with Chinese smog overnight already literally off the charts virtually every day, as seen most recently here...
02-28-2013 10:00; PM2.5; 510.0; 506; Beyond Index
— BeijingAir (@BeijingAir) February 28, 2013
... one wonders just what is this great economic reflationary miracle Japan intends on conducting, with everyone ordered to stay indoors or better yet, not breathe? The good news, is that as explained previously, China's inbound toxic air should promptly fix Japan's untenable "top-heavy" demographic situation.
From Japan Times:
The Environment Ministry guidelines say prefectural governments will recommend that people, especially those with heart or lung diseases, the elderly and children, refrain from going outside or ventilating their homes if the average amount per day of the air pollutant PM2.5 (particulate matter 2.5 microns in diameter) is projected to top 70 micrograms per cubic meter.
The ministry has set a limit of less than 35 micrograms for the pollutant found in toxic smog. The alert will be issued if the level exceeds 85 micrograms in an hour in the early morning, since the average amount per day would then be expected to surpass 70 micrograms, based on past monitoring data analysis.
The alerts will be not legally binding, according to the ministry, which set the guidelines based on findings on health hazards caused by PM 2.5 and standards in the United States.
The hazardous particulate matter PM2.5 can be absorbed by the lungs and cause heart and lung disease.
One can't help but be amused by the hypocrisy of a government suddenly concerned about the health of its citizens, and imposing limits and such, when in the aftermath of Fukushima, the government would arbitrarily set maximum radiation dosage exposure limits, only to double them the next day when they were thoroughly trounced.