Japan Meteorological Agency announced on Tuesday (August 5) that Japan set two new temperature records within one day, rising from the record-breaking 41.6°C to 41.8°C (about 107℉), with temperatures possibly climbing further.
On August 5, the temperature in Isesaki City broke the record of 41.2°C (around 106℉) set just last week in the western part of Hyogo Prefecture.
Japan experienced its hottest summer on record last year, similar in intensity to 2023, followed by the warmest autumn on record in 126 years.
The Japanese government stated that in the tourist hotspot Kyoto, temperatures reached a scorching 40°C (104℉) last week, breaking the record for the highest temperature ever recorded. Japan’s oldest weather observation station dates back to 1880, with the newest station established in 2002.
Experts warned that due to global warming, cherry blossoms in Japan are blooming earlier, sometimes failing to bloom fully if the autumn and winter seasons are not cold enough.
Last year, the iconic snow cap on Mount Fuji disappeared for the longest period on record, not reappearing until early November instead of the usual early October.
The Meteorological Agency stated last Friday (August 1) that Japan also experienced its hottest July on record since 1898, with the monthly average temperature exceeding the 1991-2020 average by 2.89°C.
According to agency data, South Korea had its second-hottest July since 1973, with an average monthly temperature of 27.1°C (80.8℉).
The hottest July on record in the country occurred in 1994, with an average temperature of 27.7°C (81.9℉).
In Japan, some reservoirs and rice fields nationwide are facing water shortages due to the scorching weather combined with lack of rainfall, slowing down the planting of rice.
The report added that in July, precipitation levels were below average in many parts of Japan, with historically low rainfall in the northern regions facing the Sea of Japan.
The end of the rainy season in western Japan arrived approximately three weeks earlier than usual, setting another record.
Every summer, Japanese officials urge people to stay in air-conditioned rooms to prevent heatstroke.
Japan is the world’s second most aged nation after Monaco, with the elderly at a higher risk of heat-related illnesses.
According to data from the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service, Western Europe experienced its hottest June on record this year, with heatwaves persisting across the region.
Extreme weather in Western Europe continued into July, with daily average temperatures reaching unprecedented heights, placing millions under heat warnings.
(Reference: Agence France-Presse)