Somei-yoshino cherry blossoms (Asahi Shimbun file photo)
Following a wave of opposition, the Japan Meteorological Agency decided to work with the Environment Ministry to continue observations of plants and animals to gauge seasonal shifts, and expects the program to also cover global warming.
The decades-old phenological observation system is used to confirm how fast the season changes in specific regions.
The information is used for the traditional declaration of the sakura cherry blossoming season, and farmers rely on the research to determine when to plant their crops.
The seasonal observations are also believed to have heightened public interest in meteorological phenomena.