Kuroshio Current
D1. Physical and chemical oceanography and marine meteorologyDefinition
Warm western boundary current of the North Pacific off Japan.
The Kuroshio is the warm western boundary current of the North Pacific subtropical gyre, the Pacific counterpart of the Gulf Stream. Flowing northeastward off Japan, it carries on the order of 40 to 60 Sv and large poleward heat, then separates to form the Kuroshio Extension with energetic meanders and eddies. Its position and the large-meander state strongly influence Japanese fisheries and regional weather.