TCC Activity Report for 2018
In 2018, the Tokyo Climate Center (TCC) continued to support the climate services of National
Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) in Asia-Pacific countries by providing and enhancing
data and products, holding training seminars, dispatching experts and hosting visitors.
1. Enhancement of data/products/tools on the TCC website
1.1 Issuance of special reports on extreme events
In a mandate role as a WMO Regional Climate Center (RCC) in Regional Association II (RAII),TCC monitors world climate conditions with focus on Asia and its surrounding area. The Center issuesreports on extreme climate events and summaries of the Asian summer/winter monsoon on its website(https://ds.data.jma.go.jp/tcc/tcc/products/clisys/reports/index.html).
From December 2017 to February 2018, a series of extreme cold spells hit Japan and its
surrounding areas, and cold air consequently prevailed nationwide. Against this background, TCC
issued a press release on primary factors causing the severe winter conditions affecting the nation. A
total of three reports were issued in English and made available on the TCC website(https://ds.data.jma.go.jp/tcc/tcc/news/press_20180205.pdf,
https://ds.data.jma.go.jp/tcc/tcc/news/press_20180223.pdf,
https://ds.data.jma.go.jp/tcc/tcc/news/press_20180320.pdf).
In early July, Japan experienced significant rainfall particularly from western Japan to the Tokai
region mainly (The Heavy Rain Event of July 2018), which caused widespread havoc nationwide. It
was followed by heat wave that persisted over most of Japan in setting the highest temperature on
record in late July. In this context, the Japan Meteorological Agency (with the help of the Tokyo
Climate Center Advisory Panel on Extreme Climatic Events (see TCC News No. 28)) investigatedatmospheric and oceanic conditions considered to have contributed to such climate extremes andsummarized related primary factors. A comprehensive report is available on the website(https://ds.data.jma.go.jp/tcc/tcc/news/press_20180822.pdf).
1.2 Questionnaire Survey regarding the Monthly Discussion on Seasonal Climate Outlook
TCC’s Monthly Discussion on Seasonal Climate Outlook bulletin is mainly intended to assist
NMHSs in the Asia-Pacific region in interpreting and assessing the World Meteorological CenterTokyo’s products for three-month prediction and warm/cold season prediction and in understanding
the current conditions of the climate system. As around four years have passed since the product’s
launch, TCC has conducted a questionnaire survey for improvement based on feedback from NMHS
staff. Aggregate results will be made available once processing is complete for reflection towardenhancement of the bulletin.
2. Capacity development
TCC holds annual training seminars as part of capacity-development activities related to its role as
an RCC in RA II. In addition to running annual training seminars, it also arranges expert visits to andhosts visitors from NMHSs to support exchanges of views on climate services and the effective
transfer of technology.
2.1 Training seminar

TCC holds a training seminar in each of its fiscal years (from April to March), and also held aseminar on one-month forecasts in November 2018. Details of the events are reported in TCC NewsNo. 54.
2.2 Expert visits and other follow-up activities
TCC experts visited the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services
Administration (PAGASA) in July, to hold a “TCC follow-up training seminar on Seasonal Forecasts
and on the basic operation of TCC’s Interactive Tool for Analysis of the Climate System (iTacs)”.
Discussions on future cooperation with PAGASA were also held (TCC News No. 53).
Other follow-up to previous TCC training seminars included hosting visiting experts at TCC andconducting teleconferences to provide technical support.
3. International meetings
3.1 Regional Climate Outlook Forums
RCCs are expected to actively contribute to and lead profound discussions in Regional Climate
Outlook Forums (RCOFs). In 2018, TCC experts participated in the following RCOFs in Asia:- Fourteenth session of the Forum on Regional Climate Monitoring, Assessment and Prediction forRegional Association II (FOCRA II-14) held in Nanning, China, from 24 to 26 April- Twelfth session of the South Asian Climate Outlook Forum (SASCOF-12) held in Pune, India,
from 18 to 20 April- Thirteenth session of the South Asian Climate Outlook Forum (SASCOF-13) held in Colombo,Sri Lanka, from 26 to 28 September- Sixth session of the East Asia winter Climate Outlook Forum (EASCOF-6) held in Seoul, theRepublic of Korea, from 7 to 9 November
TCC attendees gave presentations on seasonal predictions based on JMA’s numerical model andparticipated in discussions toward the formulation of a consensus statement on regional forecasts.
A TCC expert also gave an online presentation of the Center’s climate outlook at the 11th session ofthe ASEAN Climate Outlook Forum (ASEANCOF-11).
3.2

WMO international Workshop on Global Review of RCC Operations

In autumn 2018, TCC dispatched its RCC operations expert Akihiko Shimpo to the WMO
International Workshop on Global Review of RCC Operations, held from 12 to 14 November 2018 inPune, India. Mr. Shimpo attended the workshop and contributed to discussions on various aspects ofRCC operations from regional and global-center viewpoints.
3.3

WMO RA II Working Group on Climate Services (WGCS)In December, TCC head Yasushi Takatsuki and TCC expert Yasushi Mochizuki attended a meetingof the WMO RA II Working Group on Climate Services (WGCS) in Beijing, China, and engaged indiscussions on the work of the WGCS with special focus on implementation of the Climate Services
Information System (CSIS) on a regional level in RA II.
3.4

Other meetings

TCC expert Atsushi Minami attended the second WMO Workshop on Operational Climate
Prediction held in Barcelona, Spain, from late May to early June. Mr. Minami presented TCC’svarious contributions in its mandated role as an RCC supporting the operational climate prediction
work of NMHSs.
Mr. Takatsuki and Mr. Mochizuki attended the sixth session of the Management Committee of theIntergovernmental Board on Climate Services held in Rome, Italy, in October to contribute to theimplementation and management of GFCS.
In March 2018, former TCC head Kiyotoshi Takahashi attended the Scoping Meeting on theImplementation of Third Pole Regional Climate Centre Network (TPRCC-N) in Geneva, Switzerland,
to consider needs and capabilities relating to RCC operations in the Third Pole region. In December
2018, TCC head Yasushi Takatsuki attended an implementation planning meeting of the TPRCC-N inBeijing, China, to help develop a detailed implementation plan for the establishment of the network.
4. Publications
TCC has published its newsletter (TCC News) on a quarterly basis since 2005. The publication isintended to enhance communication and provide information to NMHSs and related communities
about recent TCC developments, events and activities as well as details of the Center’s reports on thestate of the climate, monitoring results and outlooks. In 2018, TCC News No. 51 – 54 were issued andmade available on the TCC website.
The Japan Meteorological Agency’s annual Climate Change Monitoring Report is also available on
the TCC website for 2017.
5.

Staff changes
Kiyotoshi Takahashi, who served as the head of TCC in 2016, transferred to work as the director ofthe Narita Aviation Weather Service Center on 1st April 2018. He was succeeded by Yasushi
Takatsuki, who previously worked on the coordination of activities regarding climate change andglobal warming.
6. Plans for 2019
- Contribution to the Global Framework for Climate Services (GFCS)RCCs are expected to play a major role in the implementation of the GFCS. TCC plans to further
strengthen its activities and lead RA II’s contribution to the Framework. Such activities include theprovision of further assistance to NMHSs for better climate services, as well as maintenance of theportal site for Information Sharing on Climate Services in RA II.
- New/upgraded data, products and tool development
A new web-based app designed to support the generation of one-month forecast guidance
information will be launched in the first half of 2019. This handy resource was trialed at the previously
reported training seminar in 2018, and the valuable feedback received from trainees was considered
for further improvement ahead of its release. TCC also plans the imminent provision of new
information and products based on the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) for better monitoring ofdroughts worldwide.
Further related efforts include investigation of teleconnection indices (e.g., the Arctic Oscillation
Index) to enhance monitoring of atmospheric circulation with the use of the JRA-55 long-termreanalysis dataset. TCC plans to publish the investigation results and the indices on its website as soon
as material is ready.
- Capacity development
In the last quarter of the year, TCC will hold its annual training seminar with a dozen invited
experts as attendees. The Center will also continue to dispatch experts to NMHSs as necessary andhost visitors from NMHSs upon request.