JAPAN: JMA and the Weather Business Consortium (WXBC)

Background 

The purpose of the Meteorological Service Act of Japan is “to ensure the sound development of meteorological services by prescribing basic systems concerning meteorological services, and thereby to contribute to the promotion of public welfare by preventing disasters, securing traffic safety, and promoting the prosperity of industries, and to offer international cooperation concerning meteorological services.” 

The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), being the principal agency of this Act, actively promotes the sound development of private meteorological services and facilitates advanced use of meteorological data by private-sector operators through a variety of initiatives, including public-private partnerships within a new consortium called the Weather Business Consortium (WXBC). 

The Meteorological Service Act clarifies the different roles to be played by the public sector (in this case, JMA) and by the private and academic sectors, by its Article 23, which stipulates that no party other than JMA shall issue meteorological warnings. The provision of forecasting services by entities other than JMA is regulated through a licensing mechanism in which, JMA is responsible for the issuance of such licenses.