A huge dust storm has hit Tokyo, blanketing the city with brown dust that darkened the skies and rapidly transformed what had been a clear and sunny day.
Visibility in the capital deteriorated quickly as dry dust particles whirled through the air on Sunday.
Meteorologists said the phenomenon was caused by a sudden cold front, and was not linked with the suffocating pollution that hung over the Chinese capital Beijing last winter.
Dust storm ... Tokyo's shopping district Ginza covered in brown dust. Photo: AFP
"A rapidly developing low pressure system in the north was moving down south. It was bringing a snow storm in the north, and strong winds in Tokyo and surrounding areas," said a meteorologist at the Japan Meteorological Agency.
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"In the Kanto region (Tokyo and surrounding areas), the strong winds picked up dry dust particles from the ground, which lowered visibility," he said.
The phenomenon was expected to be temporary, and rain should strip the dust from the air, he said.
Japan and other regional countries have however voiced concern about the impact of airborne pollution drifting from their influential neighbour.
The toxic haze that periodically blankets parts of China has been blamed on emissions from coal burning in power stations but also on fumes from vehicles on the traffic-clogged streets of the world's largest auto market.
Media reports have said that environment ministers from Japan, China and South Korea will meet in May to discuss ways to combat air pollution.
AFP
Today, a  struck the Japanese capital city of Tokyo, covering it in a plume of brown dust and blocking out the sunlight.

A spokesperson for the  said, "A rapidly developing low pressure system in the north was moving down south. It was bringing a snow storm in the north, and strong winds in Tokyo and surrounding areas".

''Wikinews'' sourced images from Wikimedians and from Twitter.





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