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 Shimane Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Shimane

Shimane faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 644 thousand across 21 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 9.6µg/m³. That's 1.9 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 159 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 Shimane met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0.46 years longer.

That's 296K years of life stolen from 644 thousand 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 Shimane. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Masuda
0.5 years lost
2.Izumo
0.5 years lost
3.Gōtsu
0.5 years lost
4.Hikawa
0.5 years lost
5.Hamada
0.5 years lost
6.Higashiizumo
0.5 years lost
7.Matsue
0.5 years lost
8.Yasugi
0.4 years lost
9.Ōda
0.4 years lost
10.Tsuwano
0.4 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

64.2%

413K

10-15 µg/m³

35.8%

231K

15-25 µg/m³

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 21 Districts in Shimane

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Matsue	185K	9.6	0.5 years
Izumo	138K	10.1	0.5 years
Hamada	53K	9.9	0.5 years
Masuda	43K	10.4	0.5 years
Yasugi	35K	9.5	0.4 years
Unnan	35K	8.6	0.3 years
Ōda	31K	9.2	0.4 years
Hikawa	29K	10.0	0.5 years
Gōtsu	20K	10.1	0.5 years
Okinoshima	12K	8.4	0.3 years
Okuizumo	12K	7.8	0.3 years
Higashiizumo	12K	9.8	0.5 years
Ōnan	10K	7.9	0.3 years
Tsuwano	7K	8.8	0.4 years
Yoshika	6K	8.3	0.3 years
Iinan	4K	7.5	0.2 years
Misato	4K	8.0	0.3 years
Kawamoto	3K	8.3	0.3 years
Nishinoshima	2K	7.7	0.3 years
Ama	2K	7.6	0.3 years
Chibu	576	8.3	0.3 years

Showing 21 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Shimane is Injurious to Health.