Lightning 'escalates' in Japan, scientists try to deal with it with artificial lightning

Data recently released by the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) shows that the number of days with thunderstorms in 11 major cities in Japan, including Tokyo and Osaka, has increased by 16% over the past 25 years.

Lightning images shared by Japanese netizens - Photo: Soranews24

Damage to people and property caused by lightning is also increasing, leading to ever-increasing insurance costs.

According to a VNA reporter in Tokyo, on September 11, thunder continuously sounded in central Tokyo from noon to evening, causing about 10,000 households in Tokyo and Kanagawa prefecture to lose power. In Tachikawa city (Tokyo), a fire suspected to be caused by lightning struck a house and injured someone.

The JMA said that the number of days with lightning in Japan has been increasing significantly in recent years. Specifically, in the period from 1974 to 1998, the average number of days with lightning in 11 major cities such as Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka... was 180.2 days/year. This number increased to 209.5 days/year in the period from 1999 to 2023, equivalent to an increase of 16.3%.

Associate Professor Michibata Takuro of Kyushu University said the main cause of this phenomenon is climate change. Rising temperatures make the atmosphere more unstable and more prone to the formation of electrically charged clouds that cause lightning. If the average global temperature increases by 1 degree Celsius, the incidence of lightning could increase by 18.4% globally.

In urban areas, in addition to global warming, the urban heat island effect also increases the risk of lightning. Because the ground surface is covered with a lot of concrete and asphalt, the temperature near the ground easily increases, the hot air rises to create convection currents, forming thunderstorms.

Around the world , countries near the equator tend to have more thunderstorms because the trade winds from the two hemispheres meet, creating an updraft. Sea surface temperatures in this area are also high, creating favorable conditions for thunderstorms to develop.

Analysis of data from the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) shows that in 2024, the country with the most lightning hours in the world is Brunei with about 10 hours of lightning/year/km². Next are Panama and Colombia with 8-9 hours. Meanwhile, Japan only has about 50 minutes, which is in the low group, but the damage caused by lightning is still very serious.

Lightning not only causes fires but also causes sudden surges in voltage, damaging electronic equipment. According to the Japan Loss Insurance Rating Organization, insurance payouts in fiscal 2022 exceeded 14.7 billion yen (about $100 million), more than six times the amount in 2009.

Franklin Japan (Kanagawa Prefecture), which develops lightning monitoring systems, also issues “lightning strike certificates” for insurance claims. In fiscal 2024, the company issued a record 20,000 certificates, due to the increase in lightning strikes in the Tokyo metropolitan area.

In addition, Japan is also researching artificial lightning to control risks. In December 2024, NTT Group successfully conducted the world's first experiment using drones to approach thunderstorms and trigger lightning.

Actively generating lightning in a safe location in the future could significantly reduce lightning damage.

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VNA

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/sam-set-leo-thang-tai-nhat-ban-khoa-hoc-thu-doi-pho-bang-set-nhan-tao-2025091410334979.htm