Tokyo: The extent of polar ice in the Arctic Ocean shrank in the winter of 2025 to its smallest extent since measurements began in 1979.

According to Qatar News Agency, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) announced that the maximum extent of the Arctic Ocean's ice cover was the smallest in 2025 in over four decades, renewing the record set eight years ago. Scientists at JAXA and the National Institute of Polar Research (NIPR) use a "Shizuku" satellite to monitor the Arctic ice.

Measurements indicate that the ice coverage for this year reached its maximum at 13.79 million square kilometers on March 20, 2025. This figure was 130,000 square kilometers smaller than the previous record from 2017, marking the smallest extent on record based on data available from 1979.

A map included in the report highlighted that the sea ice extent in 2017 was significantly lower than 2012 levels and the average for the second decade of the 21st century. The 2025 ice extent line was found to be even smaller than in 2017. While the average ice extent in 2017 was lower, the 2025 measurements were 130,000 square kilometers less, making it the smallest recorded since 1979.

JAXA President Hiroshi Yamakawa attributed this trend to climate change, expressing concern that it could impact the weather and marine environment.