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 Gunma Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Gunma

Gunma faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 1.9 million across 38 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 11.2µg/m³. That's 2.2 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 186 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 Gunma met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0.61 years longer.

That's 1.2M years of life stolen from 1.9 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 Gunma. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Isesaki
0.8 years lost
2.Tamamura
0.7 years lost
3.Maebashi
0.7 years lost
4.Ōizumi
0.7 years lost
5.Ōta
0.7 years lost
6.Chiyoda
0.6 years lost
7.Fujioka
0.6 years lost
8.Ōra
0.6 years lost
9.Takasaki
0.6 years lost
10.Meiwa
0.6 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

13.2%

252K

10-15 µg/m³

86.8%

1.7M

15-25 µg/m³

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 38 Districts in Gunma

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Takasaki	363K	11.3	0.6 years
Maebashi	297K	11.9	0.7 years
Ōta	224K	11.7	0.7 years
Isesaki	208K	12.7	0.8 years
Kiryū	94K	10.5	0.5 years
Shibukawa	74K	10.0	0.5 years
Tatebayashi	73K	11.2	0.6 years
Fujioka	69K	11.4	0.6 years
Midori	57K	10.9	0.6 years
Annaka	56K	9.6	0.5 years
Tomioka	51K	9.5	0.4 years
Numata	49K	8.3	0.3 years
Ōizumi	33K	11.7	0.7 years
Tamamura	32K	12.6	0.7 years
Fujimi	24K	11.0	0.6 years
Ōra	23K	11.3	0.6 years
Yoshii	23K	10.4	0.5 years
Minakami	17K	7.7	0.3 years
Yoshioka	16K	10.9	0.6 years
Itakura	14K	10.7	0.6 years
Nakanojō	13K	8.7	0.4 years
Higashiagatsuma	13K	8.8	0.4 years
Chiyoda	12K	11.5	0.6 years
Shintō	11K	10.7	0.6 years
Meiwa	10K	11.3	0.6 years
Tsumagoi	9K	8.0	0.3 years
Kanra	8K	9.3	0.4 years
Shimonita	6K	8.5	0.3 years
Kusatsu	6K	7.9	0.3 years
Naganohara	5K	7.9	0.3 years
Katashina	4K	6.9	0.2 years
Takayama	3K	8.0	0.3 years
Shōwa	3K	8.3	0.3 years
Kawaba	3K	7.5	0.2 years
Kuni	2K	7.6	0.3 years
Nanmoku	2K	7.7	0.3 years
Kanna	2K	7.5	0.2 years
Ueno	1K	7.0	0.2 years

Showing 38 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Gunma is Injurious to Health.