Kousa / Kosa / Yellow Sand

Starting in late January A & M would mention some yellow sand blowing from China into Japan. At the time I disregarded the notion off as some sort of Japanese old wives' tale, but this spring I had firsthand experience with kousa. For me it appeared as a fog around the sun and a light powder on cars I didn't notice any of the other affects such as breathing difficulty. The yellow sand comes from the Gobi Desert and is desertification. Based on some older news articles I read popular belief seams to be that China is not doing enough to reduce desertification. The Japanese government is currently studying the health affects of Kousa which is a natural phenomenon, but has intensified health risks due to industrial pollution. I have been in the office each time it has occurred this spring so I haven't gotten any photos, but this one from The Japan Times is an intensified version of what I have seen.