| a warm ocean current in the Pacific, flowing N along the E coast of Taiwan, NE along the E coast of Japan, and continuing in an easterly direction into the open Pacific. |
| Japan Current n. A warm ocean current flowing northeast from the Philippine Sea past southeast Japan to the North Pacific. Also called Kuroshio Current. |
Japan Current  (jə-pān') Pronunciation Key
A branch of the North Equatorial Current that flows northeast from the Philippine Sea, north along the eastern shore of Taiwan, past southeastern Japan, and onward to the North Pacific. Its warm air moderates the climate of Taiwan and Japan. Also called Kuroshio Current. See more at equatorial current, gyre. |
Japan Current
strong surface oceanic current of the Pacific Ocean, the northeasterly flowing continuation of the Pacific North Equatorial Current between Luzon of the Philippines and the east coast of Japan. The temperature and salinity of Kuroshio water are relatively high for the region, about 68 F (20 C) and 34.5 parts per thousand, respectively. Only about 1,300 feet (400 m) deep, the Kuroshio travels at rates ranging between 20 and 120 inches (50 and 300 cm) per second.
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