The Meteorological Agency

 The Meteorological Agency is one of the Japanese ministries and government offices. It is an extra-ministerial department of the Ministry of Land, which offer information of the weather. The duty of the Meteorological Agency is offering an exact weather bulletin. And they are realizing mitigation of a natural disaster, improvement in the life of the people, reservation of traffic safety, and development of industry. The business of the Meteorological Agency is defined law. Based on this, the observation, the creation of information (A weather report, a weather bulletin, earthquake information, notice on volcanic activities, tsunami information, etc.), and the announcement in connection with the "weather" and "terrestrial phenomena" are made. It is supposed that an organization is provided with various disaster prevention weather bulletins in the risk management and the disaster prevention system of a country. Moreover, not only Japan but many countries of East Asia and the Pacific Ocean area are provided with the observational data of the meteorological satellite "sunflower."

【Business of the Meteorological Agency】

1.     weather observation

・weather observation on the ground

 Collection transmission of observational data is performed almost automatically in 150 the District Meteorological Observatories across the country, Local Meteorological Observatories and meteorological stations, a special area meteorological observing station, etc.

☆Contents of observation: temperature, rainfall, the hours between sunrise and sunset, the direction of the wind, wind speed, depth of snow, atmospheric (air) pressure, humidity, amount of sunlight, a phenomenon of the atmosphere (thunderbolt ,fog and so on), the weather, shape and amount of the clouds and so on.

・AMeDAS:  Automated Meteorological Data Acquisition System

   Collection transmission of observational data is performed automatically at about 1300 observatories across the country.

  ☆Contents of observation: rainfall, temperature, the direction of the wind, wind speed, the hours between sunrise and sunset and so on.

 

・Observation by weather radar

   Distribution of the strength of how for rain and snow to fall using an electric wave, movement are continuously observed in the wide range. Analysis of still more exact rainfall distribution is enabled by combining with other data of AMEDAS etc.

 

  ・Observation by a meteorological satellite

   The distribution situation of the clouds of eastern Asia, Oceania, and the Nishi Pacific area, a motion and the height of clouds, the situation of a wind high up in the sky, the water temperature distribution of a sea surface, etc. are observed from the satellite on a geostationary satellite orbit.

   The meteorological satellite which Japan is employing now is the following two sets.

   ・Sunflower No.6 (multi-functional transport satellite new No. 1 MTSAT-1R) Under standby employment

   ・Sunflower No.7 (multi-functional transport satellite new No. 2 MTSAT-2)    Under this employment

2.    Offer of a weather bulletin and a weather report

・A weather bulletin, an advisory, and an alarm

 It responds to change and the actual condition of a weather situation, and announces the weather bulletin about a low pressure, heavy rain, a strong wind, etc. Moreover, when it is expected that there is a possibility that a disaster may occur, an announcement of an advisory and an alarm is made.

3.    Marine forecast and alarm

Marine weather forecast and alarm, a sea-surface-temperature forecast, an ocean current forecast, a wave forecast, an alarm, etc. are announced for the safe cruise of a vessel, or the safe operation of a fishing boat.

4.    Surveillance of an earthquake and tsunami, and a volcano

I hear that as mentioned above, understanding supports our present life and safety by the Meteorological Agency.