Japan May Have Average to Warmer-Than-Average Weather From Dec.

By Megumi Yamanaka

Sept. 25 (Bloomberg) -- Japan may have average to warmer- than average temperatures this winter in the three months starting December, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.

Average rainfall is expected in the period, the Tokyo-based weather agency said today on its Web site.

The agency, a branch of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, releases its forecast each year. The following is its forecast of temperature probabilities in Japan in the December to February period.

Lower than Average Higher than

average Northern Japan 30% 40% 30% Eastern Japan 20% 40% 40% Western Japan 20% 40% 40% Southwestern Islands 20% 30% 50%

To contact the reporter on this story: Megumi Yamanaka in Tokyo at myamanaka@bloomberg.net.