Japan hits fifth ‘cruelly hot day’, the longest streak since records began, as officials issue heatstroke warnings

TOKYO, July 25 — Japan recorded its fifth consecutive “cruelly hot day” today, a new meteorological term devised this year to warn people of intense heat above 40° degrees Celsius (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 out 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 Thursday 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 last year.

Its highest recorded temperature was registered on August 5, 2025, at 41.8C in Isesaki, north of Tokyo. — AFP