A collaborative research group from Chiba University and Toyama University has initiated a series of experiments over Toyama Bay aimed at controlling rainfall through techniques like cloud seeding. Starting in January, the researchers aimed to assess whether artificially manipulating clouds could mitigate the damages caused by torrential downpours. The project's ultimate goal is to develop this technology by 2050, making it a viable solution for controlling extreme weather phenomena such as typhoons, marking a significant advancement in weather management technologies.

The initiative is part of Japan's ambitious 'Moonshot' program, which seeks to achieve groundbreaking innovations. With its inception in 2021, this project represents the first practical tests of weather control undertaken in Japan, following a hiatus of nearly 15 years since previous cloud seeding efforts in Kochi Prefecture. Researchers hope their work will lay the foundation for broader acceptance and deployment of weather modification techniques to protect society from climate-related challenges.

During the week of January 7-13, under specific weather conditions, a propeller plane was deployed to disperse approximately 30 kilograms of dry ice into snow clouds at an altitude of 3,500 meters. The process leverages the property of supercooled water within clouds that can freeze rapidly upon stimulation, allowing the creation of ice nuclei that lead to precipitation. This preliminary experiment is geared towards understanding the effectiveness of the cloud seeding method as a means to tackle the increasing threat of severe weather in Japan and beyond.