Japans celebrated cherry blossom, which for millions heralds the start of spring, is under threat from climate change, according to experts, who say warmer weather is causing early flowering. Cherry blossom season officially began in Tokyo this year on March 21 - five days ahead of schedule and a full week earlier than the average for the last 30 years of the 20th century.
Far from being a freak occurrence, the phenomenon of early blossoming has been happening for several years, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA).
Traditionally, the first sakura - cherry tree - flowers appear in the second half of March on the southern islands of the Japanese archipelago and advance slowly up the central island of Honshu towards the far north. However, according to the JMA, the "blossoming line" - the latitude where trees start to flower on a given day - on April 1, which 40 years ago was in the south of Honshu, is now about 200 kilometres (125 miles) further north. This change, according to JMA climate expert Takashi Yoshida, is caused "by a warming climate and urbanisation." City temperatures are noticeably higher than those in the countryside, say experts. They point to the warming effects of cars, heaters and air-conditioners, coupled with the absence of open spaces and the concentration of materials that absorb the suns heat, such as tar on roads.
Nobuyuki Asada, a member of the Japan Cherry Blossom Association, says meteorological changes mean the future for the trees does not look good. Japan, despite hosting the most famous conference on climate change in 1997, has struggled to set an example to the world. According to the Kyoto Protocol, by 2012, the country is supposed to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by six percent from 1990 levels. But the latest figures show Asias largest economy is still producing 9.2 percent more greenhouse gases than it was in 1990.