Some people don't have to witness the days getting longer to know spring is just around the corner. Their sneezing and runny noses are proof enough.
The cedar pollen season has begun in western Japan and the southern Kanto region, and the pollen count this year is expected to exceed the average for the past decade in the Kanto, Tokai and Kinki regions.
Although improved medicines can alleviate hay fever symptoms, the allergy still drags many down.