“Clean Air Should Not Feel Like A Luxury”: Indian in Japan Compares Tokyo’s Clear Skies With Delhi Pollution (WATCH)

An Indian man living in Japan compared Tokyo’s clear skies with Delhi’s pollution in a viral Instagram video. Aum questioned why Delhi cannot achieve similar air quality and cleanliness, prompting social media users to discuss India’s environmental challenges.

For many Indians living abroad, the contrast between cities can sometimes offer a fresh perspective on familiar problems back home. A recent Instagram video by an Indian living in Japan has sparked a discussion about air pollution, cleanliness and how India’s capital is perceived by people overseas. The creator compared Tokyo’s clear skies with Delhi’s pollution levels, questioning why similar conditions cannot be achieved in the national capital despite its large population.

The video was shared by Aum, an Indian living in Tokyo, who showed viewers the skyline around him before drawing attention to the difference between Tokyo’s atmosphere and Delhi’s often polluted skies. His observations quickly resonated with social media users, with several people discussing the need for cleaner air and better urban environments in India.

Indian In Japan Questions Delhi’s Air Quality

The caption accompanying the Instagram video read: "Problem with Indian skies & Pollution! What do you think is the solution?"

In the video, Aum pointed towards Tokyo’s clear sky and said the view made him wonder why Delhi could not have similarly clear skies.

“Guys, take a look at this video once. This is the sky of Tokyo. Meaning, where I live, the sky looks like this. And I was just thinking: why isn't the sky like this in Delhi? Now brother, you'll say, 'Well, there's population, this and that.' But actually, Tokyo's population is greater than Delhi's. Yet, they have maintained it like this. And I feel like we can do it too,” he said.

His comparison focused on the idea that a large population alone does not necessarily prevent a city from maintaining cleaner surroundings and better air quality.

Tokyo Versus Delhi Sparks Conversation

Aum also spoke about how perceptions of India can be shaped by the images that people abroad associate with the country.

He explained that since moving to Japan, he had made several foreign friends who often asked him about India. According to him, some of them associated the country primarily with crowded and dusty places such as Delhi and Rajasthan.

“Because a lot of people, like, I have made many foreign friends since moving here, they often ask me, 'Bro, what is India like? Isn't India like, you know, Delhi and Rajasthan, very crowded and dusty?' So I have to show them, 'No, look, India has Himachal; coastal areas are so beautiful; there is Kerala, the North East, places like Himachal.' Only then do they get convinced and their image, their perception, of India shifts slightly.”

His comments also highlighted the diversity of India’s landscapes, from the Himalayan regions and coastal areas to Kerala and the North East.

Cleaner Delhi Could Change India’s Image

Aum went on to suggest that improving cleanliness and the quality of the urban environment in the national capital could have an impact beyond the everyday lives of Delhi residents.

He argued that a cleaner city, clearer skies and better surroundings could also influence how international visitors and people living abroad view India.

“But bro, if we also make our capital this clean, with the sky looking beautiful, cleanliness everywhere, and a nice environment to walk around in... bro, and we can do it, I think. So we should work on it,” Aum said.

His remarks have since prompted a wider conversation online about air pollution, civic responsibility and whether Indian cities can adopt practices that have helped other major urban centres maintain cleaner public spaces.

Social Media Reacts

The comparison between Tokyo and Delhi drew reactions from Instagram users, with some expressing optimism about India’s ability to improve its urban environment.

One user commented: "India will also transform"

Another remarked, “Clean air should not feel like a luxury.”

The comments reflected a broader sentiment that access to clean air and a healthy urban environment should be treated as an essential part of city life rather than something people have to aspire to.

Aum’s video ultimately turned a simple view of Tokyo’s skyline into a wider discussion about India’s cities, environmental challenges and the possibility of creating cleaner, more liveable urban spaces.