Japan's hay fever season is set to begin earlier than usual this year due to a warmer than average winter, a weather information provider said Wednesday.

According to Weathernews Inc., Japanese cedar trees, which along with Japanese cypress trees are one of the most prominent culprits for hay fever allergies, are forecast to release pollen from a few days to a week earlier than usual across the country.

As a result, hay fever season could begin in early February in the southern Kanto region including Tokyo and northern Kyushu in southwestern Japan, it said.

The northern part of the Tohoku region in northeastern Japan is forecast to experience pollen releases as early as late February, nearly half a month earlier than average, the company said.

The peak of hay fever season is forecast to fall around mid-February in eastern and western Japan. The southern and northern areas of Tohoku are predicted to experience peak pollen in late February and mid-March, respectively.

The weather information provider expects the pollen count from both cedar and cypress trees to reach about 85 percent of the annual average, although it may be higher in certain regions.

==Kyodo

© Kyodo News International, Inc., source Newswire