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 Kyoto Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Kyoto

Kyoto faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 2.5 million across 26 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 10.2µg/m³. That's 2.0 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 169 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 Kyoto met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0.49 years longer.

That's 1.2M years of life stolen from 2.5 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 Kyoto. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Kumiyama
0.7 years lost
2.Yawata
0.7 years lost
3.Ōyamazaki
0.6 years lost
4.Jōyō
0.6 years lost
5.Nagaokakyō
0.6 years lost
6.Kyōtanabe
0.6 years lost
7.Ujitawara
0.6 years lost
8.Mukō
0.6 years lost
9.Seika
0.6 years lost
10.Kyoto
0.5 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

16.2%

412K

10-15 µg/m³

83.8%

2.1M

15-25 µg/m³

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 26 Districts in Kyoto

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Kyoto	1.5M	10.5	0.5 years
Ujitawara	160K	11.1	0.6 years
Kameoka	84K	8.8	0.4 years
Nagaokakyō	81K	11.1	0.6 years
Kizugawa	79K	10.2	0.5 years
Kyōtanabe	79K	11.1	0.6 years
Fukuchiyama	77K	7.6	0.3 years
Maizuru	76K	6.9	0.2 years
Jōyō	74K	11.1	0.6 years
Yawata	63K	11.7	0.7 years
Mukō	59K	11.0	0.6 years
Kyōtango	49K	7.3	0.2 years
Seika	45K	10.8	0.6 years
Nantan	31K	7.8	0.3 years
Ayabe	31K	7.3	0.2 years
Kumiyama	24K	11.8	0.7 years
Yosano	20K	6.8	0.2 years
Miyazu	15K	7.0	0.2 years
Kyōtamba	13K	7.3	0.2 years
Uji	9K	9.4	0.4 years
Ōyamazaki	7K	11.3	0.6 years
Wazuka	3K	8.7	0.4 years
Ide	3K	10.3	0.5 years
Minamiyamashiro	3K	7.9	0.3 years
Ine	1K	7.0	0.2 years
Kasagi	1K	8.1	0.3 years

Showing 26 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Kyoto is Injurious to Health.