Japan bakes as residents warned of once-in-a-decade, life-threatening temperatures

The national weather agency says the stifling heat will last until at least early August, with spot temperatures likely to cross 40 degrees Celsius

People have been urged to take precautions and stay home if possible, with emergency services prepared for a rush of patients needing treatment

Reading Time:2 minutes

People protect themselves from the scorching sun with parasols and headgear in Tokyo’s Ginza shopping district earlier this month. Photo: Kyodo

Published: 9:30am, 25 Jul 2023

Japan has issued an urgent weather alert, warning that temperatures across much of the East Asian nation would reach once-in-a-decade highs on Wednesday – and that the stifling heat would linger until at least early August.

Temperatures soared unseasonably high in early July, reached at least 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit) at 57 locations on July 11, prompted by a high-pressure system across much of the archipelago. Thermometers in the central Japanese city of Kiryu touched a maximum of 39.7 degrees.

The highest temperature ever recorded in Japan was 41.1 degrees in Kumagaya, a city in Saitama prefecture just north of Tokyo, in 2018.

People walk with parasols on a sweltering day in the central Japanese city of Nagoya last week. Photo: Kyodo

There was a brief lull in the middle of the month as the rainy season – typically a six-week period of heavy rain and humidity – petered out and ended on Saturday, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. The grey skies that affected much of the country for the season have now been replaced with clear skies and a heatwave.

The agency warned of unseasonably high temperatures in all but four of Japan’s 47 prefectures – the only areas escaping the harshest heat being those on the Sea of Japan coast in the north of the country. Localised temperatures are forecast to near 40 degrees Celsius, while spot temperatures may well surpass that threshold.

An official from the agency said above-average temperatures this summer were linked to the El Nino phenomenon affecting ocean temperatures and weather systems in the Pacific.

The agency has issued early warnings about the likely impact of a combination of high temperatures and elevated humidity, instructing the public to take precautions against heatstroke by remaining hydrated, using a sun umbrella, staying out of direct sunlight as much as possible and using air conditioning at home. People are also being asked to check on the well-being of elderly neighbours to make sure they are safe.