东京--恶劣的天气事件正在扰乱日本经济，企业和政府难以应对气候变化日益加剧的影响。
TOKYO -- Severe weather events are disrupting Japan's economy, with businesses and the government struggling to respond to the intensifying effects of climate change.
最初预计今年夏天将是典型的天气夏天。6月，日本气象厅预测7月至9月的气温将高于正常水平，平均降雨量。
This summer was initially expected to be a typical one weatherwise. In June, the Japan Meteorological Agency predicted temperatures from July to September would be higher than normal with average rainfall.
然而，台风陆续逼近东京市中心，季节性雨锋停滞，导致8月下旬至本月期间东京连续37天降雨量创纪录。太平洋沿岸城市记录了自1946年以来最短的9月份日照时间。
However, typhoons approached central Tokyo one after another and a seasonal rain front stalled, resulting in a record-breaking 37-day stretch of rain there from late August to this month. Cities along the Pacific coast recorded the shortest sunshine duration for September since 1946.
伊藤忠研究所所长兼首席执行官武田敦表示：“暴雨和热浪等极端事件正在对食品价格产生影响。”
"Extreme events such as torrential rains and heat waves are having an impact on food prices," said Atsushi Takeda, president and chief executive officer of Itochu Research Institute.
这正在推高价格。上个月在东京中央批发市场，生菜的售价是一年前的两倍多。由于日照减少和气温低于平时，主要生产国长野县的作物今年收成较小。
This is driving up prices. At the Tokyo central wholesale markets last month, lettuce sold for more than double the price a year ago. The crop from major producer Nagano prefecture has smaller heads this year due to decreased sunshine and lower-than-usual temperatures.
茨城县的许多田地上个月被淹没，这意味着该县的生菜供应通常比长野开始更晚，可能会中断。
Many fields in Ibaraki prefecture were inundated last month, meaning the prefecture's lettuce supply, which typically begins later than Nagano's, will likely be disrupted.
根据政府公布的东京23个区消费者价格指数数据，9月份易腐烂食品价格比五年前上涨23.5%。其他食品高出28.8%。这些涨幅高于整体价格13.6%的涨幅。
In September, prices on perishable foods were 23.5% higher than five years earlier, according to the government's consumer price index data for Tokyo's 23 wards. Other foods were 28.8% higher. These increases were steeper than the 13.6% rise in prices as a whole.
瑞穗银行（Mizuho Bank）经济学家服部直树（Naoki Hattori）表示：“价格可能会继续攀升。”他预计，这种发展将影响日本央行的货币政策，日本央行的通胀目标为2%。
"Prices are likely to continue climbing," said Naoki Hattori, economist at Mizuho Bank. He expects such development to influence monetary policy at the Bank of Japan, which has an inflation target of 2%.
天气较好的地区正在应对降雨量不足的后果。周五，日本西部冈山县当局32年来首次对高山河系统实施第三阶段用水限制。州长茨城龙太在新闻发布会上呼吁节约用水。恶劣的天气促使企业改变运营方式。
Regions that experienced better weather are dealing with the consequences of low rainfall. On Friday, authorities in Okayama prefecture in western Japan moved to place the Takahashi river system under third-phase water-use restrictions for the first time in 32 years. Gov. Ryuta Ibaragi called for conservation of water at a news conference. Severe weather is prompting businesses to change the way they operate.
丰田汽车发起了一项计划，在世界各地的运营中尽可能少地使用水。因此，2013财年至2025财年期间，工厂每辆车的用水量减少了约20%。
Toyota Motor has launched an initiative to use as little water as possible at operations around the world. As a result, it slashed water consumption per vehicle at factories by about 20% between fiscal 2013 and fiscal 2025.
国家政府计划在本财年更新气候变化应对计划。预计将包括更加重视防洪措施和耐热作物的开发。
The national government plans to update its climate change response plan this fiscal year. It is expected to include greater emphasis on flood prevention measures and the development of heat-resistant crops.