The environment ministry says that Japanese cypress and cedar pollen levels predicted for spring this year are expected to be twice as high as they were in 2014

The ministry said pollen is expected to begin emission into the air at around the same time as most years -- in early February.

As pollen levels will be particularly high on dry, windy days, experts are urging people who suffer from hay fever to wear protective masks and or hats, and to hang their clothes to dry inside their homes in order to reduce the overall amount of contact they have with the airborne allergens.

The ministry said the Tohoku, Kanto Koshin and Tokai regions all experienced significantly higher temperatures and excessive rainfall last summer, which will cause pollen levels to spike, TBS reported.

Pollen levels in the Kinki and Chugoku regions are expected to be the same, or slightly higher than this year.

The annual release of tree pollen, which causes hay fever in an estimated 25 million people in Japan, is carefully monitored each year.

Cryptomeria (known as "sugi" in Japanese) and Japanese cypress (known as "hinoki") trees were planted after World War II to aid rebuilding, but were later abandoned for cheaper alternatives. This resulted in dense forestation of more mature, pollen-producing trees.

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