When I first came to Japan back in 1969, air quality was horrible. But as time passed Japan cleaned up its act, along with its air and water, and things are relatively much better than they were back then.

Now, smog is back in Japanese cities and even being found in rural areas for the first time ever, and experts are blaming China.

Warnings for high levels of hazardous smog have been issued in a record 28 prefectures so far this year, from sparsely populated isles in southern Japan to Niigata, western Japan, where 350 people have suffered stinging eyes and throats.

While the government is cautious about placing blame, experts say much of the rise in pollution is coming from China, where air quality is a focus ahead of the Beijing Olympics next year.

Japan, however, may not be able to do too much about the problem. Though China is suspected as the source of the smog, there is no accurate measurement of what percent of Japanese air pollution comes from the continent and how much is home-generated.

Thanks to remora