By The Straits Times | Created at 2026-07-25 16:13:15 | Updated at 2026-07-25 21:01:13
5 hours ago
TOKYO – Japan recorded its fifth consecutive “cruelly hot day” on July 25, a new meteorological term devised in 2026 to warn people of intense heat above 40 deg C, as officials issued heatstroke warnings in parts of the country.
The streak marks the longest number of days in a row with blistering temperatures since records started in 2010, public broadcaster NHK and other Japanese media reported.
Six cities in central Japan including in the Aichi and Gifu regions surpassed the new threshold for “kokushobi”, which translates to “cruelly hot day”, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA).
By using this designation, JMA said in April that it would be able to “more effectively call for vigilance against extremely high temperatures”, although the term does not trigger any official measures nationwide.
Close to 11,000 people sought emergency medical care in Japan between July 13 and 19, according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency.
Fourteen of those were pronounced dead upon arrival, the agency said, adding that the public must regard the extreme heat as a “disaster”.
Japan experiences about 1,300 heat-related deaths annually and is aiming to halve that number by 2030.
Some 453 people received hospital treatment on July 23 for heat-related issues in a single day in Tokyo – the highest number since records began more than a decade ago.
Scientists say human-induced climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme heat events in Japan and elsewhere.
Japan sweltered through its hottest summer on record in 2025.
Its highest recorded temperature was registered on Aug 5, 2025, at 41.8 deg C in Isesaki, north of Tokyo. AFP
