Cedar pollen was observed in Tokyo on Jan. 8 ¡ª a month earlier than last year and the earliest since the Tokyo Metropolitan Government began pollen counts in 1985.

The metropolitan government announced the findings on Friday.

Tokyo government officials are urging people to take steps to prevent and mitigate hay fever symptoms, as pollen counts are expected to increase in the coming weeks.

The nation¡¯s pollen allergy season usually starts in February and hits its peak in March and April. But this year in Tokyo, pollen started flying weeks earlier than usual, with dispersal confirmed in Ota Ward in southeastern Tokyo on Jan. 8, according to the metropolitan government.

Warmer-than-usual temperatures are forecast from Tuesday onward in Tokyo through the end of the month.

¡°The number of airborne pollen particles per day is expected to increase toward the start of the full-scale scattering period,¡± the metropolitan government says on its website, urging people to be on guard, especially on warm, sunny and windy days.

Previously, the earliest day that cedar pollen was observed was Jan. 31, 2007. Last year, Tokyo confirmed the first dispersal of pollen on Feb. 9.

Last summer was the hottest on record, with many clear days, which are favorable for the formation of flower buds, according to private weather information company Japan Weather Association.

The association notes that based on its own study of flower buds, large volumes of pollen are expected particularly in western Japan, including the Kyushu and Kinki regions. In northern Tohoku, however, due to fewer days of clear skies last year, the dispersal will likely be lower than normal, the forecasters said.

Climate change and urbanization are both believed to have contributed to Tokyo¡¯s pollen spread starting this early, pushing up temperatures and, consequently, bringing on the early budding of the cedar flowers, said Shigeo Kuramoto, a pollen allergy researcher at the Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute.

Data is limited on the long-term effects of climate change on pollen allergies, but one clear trend has emerged in that there have been fewer fluctuations in pollen counts, especially in the Kanto region, Kuramoto said.

¡°We see a fair number of flowers releasing pollen every year. That means, for people with pollen allergy, there will no longer be years that are easier to deal with.¡±

Health officials recommend avoiding pollen by wearing a mask and glasses that fit tightly on your face, avoiding clothes that pollen is likely to stick to (most notably wool) and washing your hands, face and hair when you arrive home.

Keeping rooms clean is also effective in stopping pollen from accumulating on the floors. Medications that alleviate symptoms include antihistamines and nasal sprays containing steroids.