SmogRank / Episodes / Japan
Japan and South Korea, November 2024
For 2 days, from 15 to 16 November 2024, 17 cities in Japan and South Korea had PM2.5 at least twice their usual for the time of year. The worst reading was Saijō, Ehime, Japan: 30.2 µg/m³ on 15 November, about 2.9× its usual 10.5.
No cause named We have no fire or smoke records for these days, so we only say what the measurements show.
Cities reached 17 in 2 countries
Days 2 15 to 16 November 2024
Worst day 15 November 12 cities counted
Furthest above usual 3.0× Shikokuchūō
Day by day
Play 15 November 12 cities at twice their usual or more
Masuda Hamada Nagato Hagi Gōtsuchō Mine Yamaguchi Ōdachō-ōda Hōfu Onoda Shūnan Ube Shimonoseki Yae Izumo Kudamatsu Ōtake Gion Hiroshima Iwakuni Kitakyushu Hikari Koga Kanda Unnan Nakama Yukuhashi Yanai Miyoshi Nōgata Munakata Kure Buzen Matsue Higashihiroshima Nakatsu Tagawa Koga Iizuka Ulsan Pohang Kunisaki Wakasugi Yeonil Gijang Fukuoka Sakaiminato Yasugichō Takehara Gyeongju Ungsang Kasuga Yonago Ukiha Maebaru-chūō Hita Mihara Ogōri Itoshima Yangsan Beppu Tosu Busan Matsuyama Iki Onomichi Kurume Shin’ichi Tsurusaki Iyo Imabari Yufu Tsushima Yame Kanzakimachi-kanzaki Niimi Yawatahama Eisen Kimhae Karatsu Fukuyama Cheongsong gun Saga Usuki Yanagawa Taku Hayang Tsukumiura Miryang Yamaga Takahashi Kikuchi Higashigō Gyeongsan-si Mie Aso Changwon Shinagawa Imarichō-kō Takeo Asakuchi Niihama Geoje Ōzu Saiki Kashima Matsuura Uwajima Ureshinomachi-shimojuku Sinhyeon Sōja Daegu Kurashiki Kotō Sasebo Andong Hwawŏn Kunwi Mifune Kan’onjichō T’aebaek Marugame Ōmura Okayama Zentsujichó Isahaya Santyoku Waegwan Tamano Nobeoka Saikai Ino Susaki Yeongju Goseong Obita Togitsu Ōyanomachi-noboritate Gumi Ikedachō Takinomiya Donghae City Kochi Nakamura Honmachi Nagasaki Yecheon Tottori-shi Takamatsu Hyūga Nankoku Bizen Chinju Hiragi Hondomachi-hondo Shido Gimcheon Sangju Mungyeong Mima Kariya Neietsu Gangneung Aki Aioi Yoshinogawa Tatsuno Jumunjin Ikaruga Kamojimachō-jōgejima Hadong Yeongdong Himeji Gwangyang Toyooka Yeosu Narutochō-mitsuishi Chungju Tokushima Kwangyang Gotō Kakogawachō-honmachi Koesan Changsu Higashinozoe Okcheon Kurye Suncheon Anan Ono Kinzan Wŏnju Nishiwaki Jinan-gun Nangen Kyōtango Tanba Sumoto Jungpyong Akashi Fukuchiyama Cheongju-si Beolgyo Daejeon Imsil Miyazu Hongch’ŏn Kosong Chinch'ŏn Yeoju Ayabe Kobe Sandachō Jeonju Wanju Sejong Maizuru Minato Arida Pubal Yŏnmu Yanggu Nishinomiya Boseong Namsa Icheon-si Takarazuka Nonsan Sennan Kainan Gongju Izumisano Damyang Anseong Hwasun Chuncheon Yangp'yŏng Gobō Amagasaki Kishiwada Iwade Cheonan Iksan Nantan Jeongeup Toyonaka Gwangju Yono Izumi Seonghwan Kimje Sakai Osaka Kinokawa Jangheung Buyeo Kameoka Masan Hwacheon Gapyeong Pyeongtaek Asan Gwangju Jangseong Higashiosaka Takatsuki Sayama Yao Habikino Hirakata Osan Kawachi-Nagano Hwado Tondabayashichō Buan Tanabe Koch'ang Naju Hanam Kōtari Yawata Wabu Obama Gunsan Seongnam-si Yesan Hashimoto Ikoma Kyoto Namyangju Yeongam Suwon Hōryūji Guri-si Uji Jōyō Sugai Kashiwara Kashihara-shi Ōtsu Kizugawa Hongseong Haenam Tenri Boryeong Yeonggwang Anyang-si Kitahama Hwaseong-si Seoul Muan Uijeongbu-si Kusatsu Ansan-si Yangju Gwangmyeong Takashima Tangjin Tsuruga Cheorwon Mokpo Bucheon-si Ōmihachiman Goyang-si Incheon Nabari Seosan Ueno-ebisumachi Kōka Iga Mikuni Youkaichi Sabae Taesal-li Gimpo-si Munsan Fukui-shi Shingū Jeju City Seogwipo Kumano Owase Ganghwa-gun Gaigeturi Changnyeong Uekimachi-mōno Naesŏ Tongyeong Kumamoto Chikugo Tanushimarumachi-toyoki Tamana Uto Ōmuta Kasaoka Arao Sokcho Ōita Saijō Shikokuchūō Tsuyama 12 Nov 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Every measured city in the area, coloured by its PM2.5 that day; a dark ring marks a city at twice its usual or more. Bars: cities counted each day, coloured by their median level. Choose a day or press play; without JavaScript, the days link to that day's world ranking.
How it spread
Saijō Saijō, 12 November: 15.8 µg/m³, 1.5× usual Saijō, 13 November: 15.1 µg/m³, 1.4× usual Saijō, 14 November: 19.2 µg/m³, 1.8× usual Saijō, 15 November: 30.2 µg/m³, 2.9× usual Saijō, 16 November: 27.9 µg/m³, 2.7× usual Saijō, 17 November: 25.9 µg/m³, 2.5× usual Saijō, 18 November: 4.2 µg/m³, 0.4× usual Saijō, 19 November: 6.7 µg/m³, 0.6× usual Shikokuchūō Shikokuchūō, 12 November: 14.6 µg/m³, 1.5× usual Shikokuchūō, 13 November: 14.3 µg/m³, 1.5× usual Shikokuchūō, 14 November: 19.4 µg/m³, 2.0× usual Shikokuchūō, 15 November: 28.8 µg/m³, 3.0× usual Shikokuchūō, 16 November: 22.4 µg/m³, 2.4× usual Shikokuchūō, 17 November: 23.0 µg/m³, 2.4× usual Shikokuchūō, 18 November: 3.6 µg/m³, 0.4× usual Shikokuchūō, 19 November: 5.2 µg/m³, 0.5× usual Naesŏ Naesŏ, 12 November: 19.4 µg/m³, 1.4× usual Naesŏ, 13 November: 19.3 µg/m³, 1.4× usual Naesŏ, 14 November: 18.7 µg/m³, 1.3× usual Naesŏ, 15 November: 28.5 µg/m³, 2.1× usual Naesŏ, 16 November: 21.0 µg/m³, 1.5× usual Naesŏ, 17 November: 11.8 µg/m³, 0.8× usual Naesŏ, 18 November: 7.6 µg/m³, 0.5× usual Naesŏ, 19 November: 9.2 µg/m³, 0.7× usual Tanushimarumachi-to… Tanushimarumachi-toyoki, 12 November: 10.3 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Tanushimarumachi-toyoki, 13 November: 13.4 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Tanushimarumachi-toyoki, 14 November: 21.8 µg/m³, 1.8× usual Tanushimarumachi-toyoki, 15 November: 27.5 µg/m³, 2.3× usual Tanushimarumachi-toyoki, 16 November: 27.3 µg/m³, 2.3× usual Tanushimarumachi-toyoki, 17 November: 16.3 µg/m³, 1.4× usual Tanushimarumachi-toyoki, 18 November: 5.1 µg/m³, 0.4× usual Tanushimarumachi-toyoki, 19 November: no reading Tsuyama Tsuyama, 12 November: 10.1 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Tsuyama, 13 November: 10.5 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Tsuyama, 14 November: 14.5 µg/m³, 1.6× usual Tsuyama, 15 November: 27.3 µg/m³, 3.0× usual Tsuyama, 16 November: 17.5 µg/m³, 1.9× usual Tsuyama, 17 November: 13.8 µg/m³, 1.5× usual Tsuyama, 18 November: 3.5 µg/m³, 0.4× usual Tsuyama, 19 November: 3.4 µg/m³, 0.4× usual Tongyeong Tongyeong, 12 November: 18.4 µg/m³, 1.4× usual Tongyeong, 13 November: 15.5 µg/m³, 1.2× usual Tongyeong, 14 November: 15.5 µg/m³, 1.2× usual Tongyeong, 15 November: 26.7 µg/m³, 2.1× usual Tongyeong, 16 November: 15.7 µg/m³, 1.2× usual Tongyeong, 17 November: 14.0 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Tongyeong, 18 November: 9.0 µg/m³, 0.7× usual Tongyeong, 19 November: 7.0 µg/m³, 0.5× usual Ōmuta Ōmuta, 12 November: 11.9 µg/m³, 1.0× usual Ōmuta, 13 November: 14.9 µg/m³, 1.3× usual Ōmuta, 14 November: 19.9 µg/m³, 1.7× usual Ōmuta, 15 November: 26.5 µg/m³, 2.2× usual Ōmuta, 16 November: 28.1 µg/m³, 2.4× usual Ōmuta, 17 November: 21.8 µg/m³, 1.8× usual Ōmuta, 18 November: 7.6 µg/m³, 0.6× usual Ōmuta, 19 November: 5.6 µg/m³, 0.5× usual Changnyeong Changnyeong, 12 November: 16.5 µg/m³, 1.3× usual Changnyeong, 13 November: 19.6 µg/m³, 1.5× usual Changnyeong, 14 November: 20.6 µg/m³, 1.6× usual Changnyeong, 15 November: 26.4 µg/m³, 2.0× usual Changnyeong, 16 November: 20.0 µg/m³, 1.6× usual Changnyeong, 17 November: 10.8 µg/m³, 0.8× usual Changnyeong, 18 November: 5.9 µg/m³, 0.5× usual Changnyeong, 19 November: 11.9 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Arao Arao, 12 November: 9.1 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Arao, 13 November: 11.7 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Arao, 14 November: 19.1 µg/m³, 1.8× usual Arao, 15 November: 26.3 µg/m³, 2.5× usual Arao, 16 November: 28.6 µg/m³, 2.8× usual Arao, 17 November: 20.1 µg/m³, 1.9× usual Arao, 18 November: 5.8 µg/m³, 0.6× usual Arao, 19 November: 3.6 µg/m³, 0.3× usual Kasaoka Kasaoka, 12 November: 10.0 µg/m³, 1.0× usual Kasaoka, 13 November: 11.7 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Kasaoka, 14 November: 20.7 µg/m³, 2.0× usual Kasaoka, 15 November: 26.2 µg/m³, 2.5× usual Kasaoka, 16 November: 19.7 µg/m³, 1.9× usual Kasaoka, 17 November: 21.8 µg/m³, 2.1× usual Kasaoka, 18 November: 5.0 µg/m³, 0.5× usual Kasaoka, 19 November: 3.9 µg/m³, 0.4× usual Chikugo Chikugo, 12 November: 12.0 µg/m³, 1.0× usual Chikugo, 13 November: 15.2 µg/m³, 1.2× usual Chikugo, 14 November: no reading Chikugo, 15 November: 25.8 µg/m³, 2.1× usual Chikugo, 16 November: 27.6 µg/m³, 2.2× usual Chikugo, 17 November: 21.0 µg/m³, 1.7× usual Chikugo, 18 November: no reading Chikugo, 19 November: 5.1 µg/m³, 0.4× usual Sokcho Sokcho, 12 November: 16.8 µg/m³, 1.9× usual Sokcho, 13 November: 13.7 µg/m³, 1.5× usual Sokcho, 14 November: 11.8 µg/m³, 1.3× usual Sokcho, 15 November: 25.0 µg/m³, 2.8× usual Sokcho, 16 November: 16.5 µg/m³, 1.8× usual Sokcho, 17 November: 15.0 µg/m³, 1.7× usual Sokcho, 18 November: 7.8 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Sokcho, 19 November: 5.2 µg/m³, 0.6× usual Uekimachi-mōno Uekimachi-mōno, 12 November: 11.7 µg/m³, 1.0× usual Uekimachi-mōno, 13 November: 13.6 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Uekimachi-mōno, 14 November: 16.7 µg/m³, 1.4× usual Uekimachi-mōno, 15 November: 24.6 µg/m³, 2.0× usual Uekimachi-mōno, 16 November: 26.1 µg/m³, 2.1× usual Uekimachi-mōno, 17 November: 21.7 µg/m³, 1.8× usual Uekimachi-mōno, 18 November: 8.0 µg/m³, 0.7× usual Uekimachi-mōno, 19 November: 5.0 µg/m³, 0.4× usual Tamana Tamana, 12 November: 9.7 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Tamana, 13 November: 11.5 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Tamana, 14 November: 15.7 µg/m³, 1.5× usual Tamana, 15 November: 24.1 µg/m³, 2.3× usual Tamana, 16 November: 25.8 µg/m³, 2.4× usual Tamana, 17 November: 19.0 µg/m³, 1.8× usual Tamana, 18 November: 6.4 µg/m³, 0.6× usual Tamana, 19 November: 5.2 µg/m³, 0.5× usual Uto Uto, 12 November: 10.9 µg/m³, 1.0× usual Uto, 13 November: 12.7 µg/m³, 1.2× usual Uto, 14 November: 18.3 µg/m³, 1.7× usual Uto, 15 November: 21.2 µg/m³, 2.0× usual Uto, 16 November: 25.3 µg/m³, 2.4× usual Uto, 17 November: 19.5 µg/m³, 1.8× usual Uto, 18 November: 7.6 µg/m³, 0.7× usual Uto, 19 November: 6.0 µg/m³, 0.6× usual Kumamoto Kumamoto, 12 November: 10.8 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Kumamoto, 13 November: 13.2 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Kumamoto, 14 November: 15.3 µg/m³, 1.3× usual Kumamoto, 15 November: 23.5 µg/m³, 2.0× usual Kumamoto, 16 November: 25.2 µg/m³, 2.2× usual Kumamoto, 17 November: 22.5 µg/m³, 1.9× usual Kumamoto, 18 November: 6.7 µg/m³, 0.6× usual Kumamoto, 19 November: 4.6 µg/m³, 0.4× usual Ōita Ōita, 12 November: 9.2 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Ōita, 13 November: 11.1 µg/m³, 1.3× usual Ōita, 14 November: 13.9 µg/m³, 1.6× usual Ōita, 15 November: 19.9 µg/m³, 2.3× usual Ōita, 16 November: 25.0 µg/m³, 2.9× usual Ōita, 17 November: 15.0 µg/m³, 1.8× usual Ōita, 18 November: 3.8 µg/m³, 0.4× usual Ōita, 19 November: 3.6 µg/m³, 0.4× usual 12 Nov 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Every counted city, in the order the episode reached them, 3 days before to 3 after. Each square is a day, coloured by that day's PM2.5; outlined: at twice the city's usual or more. Good 0–50
Moderate 51–100
Sensitive groups 101–150
Unhealthy 151–200
Very unhealthy 201–300
Hazardous 301+
Every city it reached
City Days Highest Usual Above usual
Shikokuchūō Ehime, Japan 1 15 November 9.5 3.0× Tsuyama Okayama, Japan 1 15 November 9.2 3.0× Ōita Oita, Japan 1 16 November 8.5 2.9× Saijō Ehime, Japan 2 15 November 10.5 2.9× Sokcho Gangwon-do, South Korea 1 15 November 9.0 2.8× Arao Kumamoto, Japan 2 16 November 10.4 2.8× Kasaoka Okayama, Japan 1 15 November 10.5 2.5× Tamana Kumamoto, Japan 1 16 November 10.7 2.4× Uto Kumamoto, Japan 1 16 November 10.7 2.4× Ōmuta Fukuoka, Japan 2 16 November 11.9 2.4× Tanushimarumachi-toyoki Fukuoka, Japan 2 15 November 11.9 2.3× Chikugo Fukuoka, Japan 2 16 November 12.5 2.2× Kumamoto Kumamoto, Japan 1 16 November 11.6 2.2× Uekimachi-mōno Kumamoto, Japan 1 16 November 12.3 2.1× Tongyeong Gyeongsangnam-do, South Korea 1 15 November 13.0 2.1× Naesŏ Gyeongsangnam-do, South Korea 1 15 November 13.9 2.1× Changnyeong Gyeongsangnam-do, South Korea 1 15 November 12.9 2.0×
Daily means in µg/m³. Usual: the city's median for this time of year (its days within 21 days of the date, every year, leaving out the week around it). Above usual: its highest day against that.
Against other episodes in Japan and South Korea
Number 70 of 94 episodes in Japan and South Korea since our records began, by cities reached.
Japan, June and July 2025 508 Japan and South Korea, April 2024 499 Japan and South Korea, March 2025 454 Japan and South Korea, March 2026 305 Japan and South Korea, January 2025 274 Japan and South Korea, February and March 2025 192 Japan, July 2026 172 South Korea and Japan, January 2026 169 South Korea and Japan, February 2026 147 South Korea, February 2025 132 Japan, November 2023 131 South Korea, November 2025 128 Japan and South Korea, November 2024 17 Bars: cities reached; colour: the level of the episode's highest daily reading. All 94 .
Use this page SmogRank, Japan and South Korea, November 2024: 17 cities with PM2.5 at twice their usual or more, 15 to 16 November 2024, smogrank.com/episodes/2024-11-japan-and-south-korea (accessed 3 October 2026).
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You're welcome to reuse a single chart, image or figure with this citation and a link. Terms .
An episode is a run of days when many cities close to each other (four or more within 350 km on a day, 8 or more in all) each had a daily PM2.5 mean of at least 25 µg/m³ and at least 2 times their usual for that time of year. Found in our own measurements, not picked by hand. How we find episodes . Values are each city's daily mean of its own monitors; causes are the usual kinds for a pattern like this, not a confirmed source.
