'Once-in-30-Years' Drought Grips Japan

In Tokyo, the Asakawa River, which flows through Hino and other areas, has partially dried up to the point where people can walk across sections of the riverbed. Aerial footage shows that the flow of water has nearly stopped. The lack of rain over the past month, particularly along the Pacific coast, has left conditions unusually dry nationwide.

A nearby resident said that while winter typically brings lower water levels, they had never seen the river so depleted. The reservoir level at Okutama’s Ogouchi Dam, often referred to as Tokyo’s “water reservoir,” stood at 40.8% as of February 13th, falling below the lowest level recorded since the start of the Heisei era. Tokyo authorities are urging residents to conserve water.

The situation is similar in neighboring Kanagawa Prefecture. At Lake Tsukui in Sagamihara, a scenic spot known for winter smelt fishing, areas that would normally be submerged are now completely dry. Stone steps built from piled rocks were seen emerging from the mud, believed to be remnants of a settlement that once existed there. A rental boat operator said the business has been completely closed since November last year due to the lack of water.

At nearby Shiroyama Dam, the reservoir level stood at just 12% as of February 16th.

In western Japan, water supply restrictions have already begun. In Kochi City and 14 municipalities in Fukuoka Prefecture, authorities have started reducing water pressure to curb consumption. Kochi’s restrictions mark the first in 28 years.

Dry weather has also contributed to a rise in influenza cases. According to the health ministry, about 3,000 medical institutions nationwide reported an average of 43.34 influenza patients per facility in the week ending February 8th, roughly 1.5 times the previous week and the fifth consecutive weekly increase. A clinic director said viruses tend to remain airborne longer in dry conditions, making infections more likely.

The Japan Meteorological Agency expects below-average rainfall to continue for about another month.

In central Tokyo on February 16th, temperatures reached levels typical of early April, only to swing back toward winter later that night. Snow was forecast for Tokyo’s 23 wards, with possible accumulation depending on conditions.

The prolonged dry weather has also caused severe river depletion in Shizuoka. The Abe River, which runs through Shizuoka City, has experienced a phenomenon known as “sekire,” in which water flow stops and the riverbed dries out. Aerial images show long stretches of exposed riverbed near the mouth, with white streaks of dried sediment visible across a width of about 700 meters.

Officials say the drought has extended the length of the dry section to as much as 10 kilometers upstream from the river mouth since early January. The area relies on the Abe River for drinking and industrial water, drawing largely from underground sources connected to the river. If rainfall remains scarce and the river does not recover, groundwater levels could fall further, raising concerns about future water intake.

In Fukuoka’s Asakura City, the Egawa Dam has also seen significant declines. With just 12 millimeters of rain in January—about one-fifth of the normal level and the lowest in a century—water levels have dropped so far that stone walls from former settlements have reappeared. Combined reservoir levels at six major dams in the prefecture stood at 15.1% as of February 13th, near record lows. Authorities are urging residents to conserve water to avoid scheduled outages.

Meanwhile, snowfall of up to 3 centimeters is forecast in western Tama by the morning of February 17th, with icy road conditions possible in central Tokyo. A bus driver expressed concern about slippery slopes and the risk of falls among elderly residents if snow accumulates.

As the country faces both drought and sudden cold snaps, the ongoing lack of rain is creating widespread challenges for daily life and public health.

Source: TBS