Japan is gripped by mass allergies. A 1950s project is to blame

Japan is experiencing a nationwide allergy crisis affecting 43% of its population, traced back to a 1950s reforestation program that planted fast-growing cedar and cypress trees across 10 million hectares to restore war-damaged forests. These trees now release massive amounts of pollen each spring, causing an estimated $1.6 billion daily economic impact from illness and lost productivity. In response, Japan's government launched a plan in 2023 to reduce pollen levels by 50% within 30 years, starting with cutting high-pollen cedar forests by 20% by 2033.