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Promotion of Weather Information Usage

Support for Private-Sector Services and the Certified Weather Forecaster System

  JMA offers a variety of meteorological data and products to the private weather service business sector at marginal cost to aid comprehensive operation in the field. Real-time and archived data are provided online and via CD-ROM, respectively, through the Japan Meteorological Business Support Center (JMBSC) - a public-service corporation designated by the Director-General of JMA. The Agency also strives to maintain dialogue with private weather companies in order to foster partnerships and increase mutual understanding.
  In 1993, the Meteorological Service Act was revised to establish the Certified Weather Forecaster System, which provides meteorological experts with qualifications in forecasting by utilizing numerical weather prediction data. Japanese private weather companies require authorization from the Director-General of JMA to implement their own forecasting services and to retain Certified Weather Forecasters. The Certified Weather Forecaster examination is conducted by JMBSC under the designation of the Director-General of JMA.
  The Agency also places high importance on the development of cooperative relations with the media. In addition to frequent press releases, including monthly interviews with the Director-General, JMA periodically holds dialogue with embedded press corps to exchange views toward the more effective dissemination of meteorological information.

Support for Private-Sector Services and the Certified Weather Forecaster System

JMA's Information Services for the General Public

  To respond to inquiries from the general public regarding weather information, JMA operates Weather Information Offices at JMA Headquarters as well as at four Regional Headquarters (Sapporo, Sendai, Osaka and Fukuoka) and at the Okinawa Regional Headquarters of JMA. These offices provide a wide range of information including data on current weather, forecasts and warnings as well as historical records, and contribute to enlightenment on various meteorological affairs.
  Meteorological offices occasionally organize public seminars and lectures on the latest issues and topics relevant to meteorological services. JMA also operates the Meteorological Museum at its headquarters to raise public awareness of weather services and give an overview of its wide-ranging activities and facilities.


Calibration of Meteorological Instruments

    Parties engaging in meteorological observation for publication, other than JMA, are requested to use officially calibrated instruments. JMA is responsible for the standardization and calibration of such equipment as the national authority in the field. Individual calibration is implemented through joint efforts by JMA and a registered private body.


Official Weather and Earthquake Records

    JMA is authorized to issue official records and descriptions of weather and earthquake events upon request. This is mainly done for legal purposes.