The Ishigakijima Meteorological Office – a facility of the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) located in southern Japan – was recognized by WMO as a long-term observing station in 2017 after over 120 years of ongoing meteorological observations there. The Office was established on 5 December 1896 and has hosted meteorological observation work ever since.
WMO recognizes long-term observing stations based on the following concept:
Long-term meteorological observations are a part of the irreplaceable cultural and scientific heritage of mankind that serve the needs of current and future generations for long-term high quality climate records. They are unique sources of past information about atmospheric parameters, thus are references for climate variability and change assessments. To highlight this importance, WMO has a mechanism to recognize centennial observing stations. By so doing, the Organization promotes sustainable observational standards and the best practices that facilitate generation of high-quality time series data.
To celebrate this achievement, a ceremony was held to unveil a WMO memorial plaque at the Office on its anniversary, 5 December 2018.
At the ceremony, Office director Futoshi Nozaki said, “I'm honored that we're able to display this memorial plaque today. I appreciate all the support generously provided by everyone concerned.” In addition, Naoyuki Hasegawa, Director-General of the Observation Department at JMA Headquarters, expressed the Agency's determination to continue high-quality observations, saying, “Long-term and high-quality meteorological observation records are crucial, and many years of assiduous observations are now recognized. This plaque represents our pride in our long-term efforts as well as our commitment to ongoing high-quality observations based on state-of-the-art science and technology, which should contribute to improvements in everyday living.”
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The memorial plaque marking the certification of the Ishigakijima Meteorological Office |
The observation field of the Ishigakijima Meteorological Office |
