TOKYO : Japan sweltered in a new record temperature of 41.2C on Wednesday, with the mercury also hitting 40C in the ancient capital of Kyoto for the first time since observations began.Temperatures the world over have soared in recent years as climate change creates ever more erratic weather patterns, and Japan is no exception.
Wednesday’s new record in the western region of Hyogo surpassed the previous high of 41.1C seen in Hamamatsu in 2020 and Kumagaya in 2018, the weather office said.The record comes on a day Japan was also on high alert for tsunamis after a massive magnitude 8.8 earthquake in Far East Russia.
In tourist hotspot Kyoto the mercury hit 40C, the first time any of its observation points – the oldest opened in 1880, the newest in 2002 – had seen such a high, authorities said.
Japan’s summer last year was the joint hottest on record, equalling the level seen in 2023, followed by the warmest autumn since records began 126 years ago.
The Japanese government has issued heatstroke warnings to a large swathe of the archipelago in recent days as temperatures topped 35C at hundreds of observation points.On Tuesday, the temperature hit 35C or higher at 322 of 914 observation points nationwide, reportedly the highest number since comparative data became available in 2010.
New highs were set in 38 locations, including Gujo in Gifu Prefecture in central Japan, which reached 39.8C, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said.The heatwave is forecast to continue, the JMA said, warning of a “significant” rise in temperature in northern and eastern regions.
“Please take care of your health including (avoiding) heatstroke,” it said.