PM2.5 stands for particulate matter 2.5 microns or smaller. These particles are 30 times thinner than a human hair and come from car exhaust, power plants, wildfires, and burning fuel. They are small enough to bypass your body's natural defenses and enter your bloodstream.

How does air pollution affect the body?

Air pollution affects virtually every organ in the body. PM2.5 particles enter your lungs, pass into your bloodstream, and travel to your heart, brain, kidneys, liver, and other organs. This causes chronic inflammation, increasing risks of heart disease, stroke, lung cancer, dementia, and many other conditions.

How many people are affected by air pollution?

99% of the global population breathes air that exceeds WHO safety guidelines. Air pollution kills approximately 8 million people every year—more than AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis combined.

Japan's Aomori Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Aomori

Aomori faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 1.2 million across 40 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 8.1µg/m³. That's 1.6 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 134 cigarettes in a year.

Trends

Air Quality Trend

Annual PM2.5 levels from 2014 to 2023. The WHO guideline for safe air is 5 µg/m³.

Health Impact

Life Expectancy Impact

If Aomori met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0.3 years longer.

That's 357K years of life stolen from 1.2 million people. Years of watching children grow up. Years of building a career. Years of quiet mornings and celebrations.

Lives cut short. Breathing kills.

Most Polluted

Districts with Highest Pollution

The top 10 most polluted districts in Aomori. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Inakadate
0.4 years lost
2.Fujisaki
0.4 years lost
3.Itayanagi
0.4 years lost
4.Kuroishi
0.4 years lost
5.Tsuruta
0.4 years lost
6.Hirakawa
0.4 years lost
7.Goshogawara
0.4 years lost
8.Hirosaki
0.3 years lost
9.Tsugaru
0.3 years lost
10.Aomori
0.3 years lost

Exposure

Population Exposure by Pollution Level

Distribution of population across different PM2.5 pollution levels. The WHO guideline is 5 µg/m³—only populations below this threshold are breathing safe air.

< 5 µg/m³

5-10 µg/m³

100%

1.2M

10-15 µg/m³

15-25 µg/m³

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 40 Districts in Aomori

Complete air quality data for every district in Aomori, sorted by population.

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Aomori	259K	8.4	0.3 years
Hachinohe	218K	8.0	0.3 years
Hirosaki	167K	8.6	0.3 years
Towada	60K	7.7	0.3 years
Mutsu	50K	6.8	0.2 years
Goshogawara	49K	8.6	0.4 years
Misawa	40K	7.6	0.3 years
Kuroishi	32K	8.8	0.4 years
Tsugaru	31K	8.6	0.3 years
Hirakawa	29K	8.7	0.4 years
Oirase	18K	7.8	0.3 years
Shichinohe	16K	7.4	0.2 years
Tōhoku	16K	7.3	0.2 years
Nanbu	16K	7.7	0.3 years
Gonohe	15K	7.7	0.3 years
Fujisaki	15K	9.2	0.4 years
Rokunohe	13K	7.6	0.3 years
Tsuruta	13K	8.7	0.4 years
Itayanagi	12K	8.8	0.4 years
Noheji	12K	7.3	0.2 years
Hashikami	12K	7.1	0.2 years
Nakadomari	10K	7.9	0.3 years
Sannohe	10K	7.5	0.2 years
Hiranai	9K	7.4	0.2 years
Rokkasho	9K	7.1	0.2 years
Ōwani	8K	7.9	0.3 years
Inakadate	7K	9.3	0.4 years
Ajigasawa	7K	7.5	0.2 years
Fukaura	6K	6.8	0.2 years
Higashidōri	5K	6.8	0.2 years
Takko	5K	7.3	0.2 years
Ōma	4K	7.3	0.2 years
Yokohama	4K	7.1	0.2 years
Sotogahama	3K	6.8	0.2 years
Yomogita	3K	7.4	0.2 years
Shingō	3K	7.3	0.2 years
Imabetsu	2K	6.6	0.2 years
Sai	2K	6.4	0.1 years
Kazamaura	1K	6.5	0.1 years
Nishimeya	956	6.8	0.2 years

Showing 40 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Aomori is Injurious to Health.