Soaring temperatures across Japan last week resulted in 1,196 people being taken to hospital to be treated for heat exhaustion, the Fire and Disaster Management Agency said Tuesday.
The highest number of people taken to hospital for heat exhaustion between May 25 and May 31 was 103 in Aichi Prefecture, followed by 84 in Tokyo, 74 in Osaka and 66 in Saitama, the Fire and Disaster Management Agency said.
On May 25 and 26, the temperature surpassed 30 degrees at 88 of the Japan Meteorological Agency's 928 monitoring points across Japan. The agency said that temperatures in the Kanto region were the highest for May since records started being kept in 1876.
Fire and Disaster Management Agency officials are urging people to drink plenty of water and use the air conditioner, if necessary.
Last year, more than 50,000 people were taken to hospital to be treated for heat exhaustion between May and September, according to the agency.
© Japan Today
19 Comments
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smithinjapan
You notice how this time there are no stats? Usually when it's around 50% or more seniors they say flat out the number, which makes you kind of feel like, "Well, a lot of seniors don't like to use their air-conditioning, so it can't be helped." When there are no stats it probably means the majority were situations where it could easily have been prevented, and if you know anything about Japan you'll know that a great number of schools held their sports day on 30th and 31st of May, with rigid outdoor drills being held every day up to the events. Do they cancel the events because of the dangers of heatstroke? No, not at all. Do it early morning or wait until after school instead? Nope. Peak day time temperatures under the sun at its apex, on dirt fields that absorb and give off heat and blinding light.
Yes, by all means, people, keep hydrated. But also be smart -- if it's too hot to be doing stuff in the sun, don't. And please for the love of god, don't let those under you do it either, especially for the sake of some show.
onagagamo
Summer sucks in Japan.
Wc626
On Sat. May 30, I saw lots of young japanese go man-down @ Yoyogi Park's festival. Soaring temperatures and Chu-hi don't mix well.
papigiulio
This is due to the fact the people really underestimate the heat and the fact that some organizations are too stubborn to cancel/postpone events.
So many elderly people taking a long stroll outside, kids playing outside in places where there is little to no shade. Some common sense would help.
Wc626
So would central air, but let's not go there-
Noble713
Drink Waterrrrrrr! .....Execute!
Humid tropical conditions are one of the last places you want to run around dehydrated.
Evan Hayden
I remember at chuusotai (sp?) / all-area-schools sports competition last year, I heard that about 10 kids passed out from the heat in just the first day of competition and I saw a few of these instances. Since Kyushu seems to be getting ungodly hot even earlier this year, I wonder how many will pass out this year? I wish events like that, undoukai, and ekiden could be moved to earlier or later (read: cooler) months. I hate to see my students suffer like that. (Better yet, I wish they were optional, but that's a different story...)
Mirai Hayashi
Was it even that hot. warm yes...but hot?
mrkobayashi
Hottest in 140 years, mirai. Did you read the article?
Disillusioned
This is so stupid! 30' is not hot! The private high school I work in had their sports festival last Saturday. The ambulance was called three times for kids passing out from heat exhaustion and many parents and teachers look like roasted lobsters this week. They had no shade at all and many people didn't have the common sense to wear a hat or sunscreen. Ignorance can be cured,but stupidity cannot!
Serrano
Good grief, about 1,500 people in India died from heat exhaustion but they had 40 degree heat, if Japan ever gets 40 degrees...
Novenachama
If you are working or exercising in the heat don't wait until you get thirsty to drink fluids, Instead drink plenty of fluids before, during, and after the activity. Drinking enough fluids helps to improve heart functions, maintain kidney functions, and lowers the body's core temperature. Dehydration can stress the heart and reduce the kidneys ability to maintain the correct balance of electrolytes or charged elements essential for the normal function of every living cell in the body.
daito_hak
You seem you didn't either. This is the hottest FOR MAY, not the hottest in absolute temperature.
Now Mirai is right, it was not far above 30 degrees celsius which isn't shockingly high by any means as long as people starts to have common sense in this country. Like Disillusioned said, this is crazy that they keep organizing sports festival at schools (or any other activity) and risking the well being of children or people when it gets hot. I am very sorry to say that but there is a sort of madness in these people no? 30 ºC or even 35ºC as the Kanto often gets in summer is manageable as long as people don't do stupid things. High temperatures = limited outdoor activities. This is simple, why can't they understand it?
Also another thing that enrage me here is that people keep being conservative in the way they wear. Even at or above 30ºC, they keep wearing too much, they would feel more confortable if their society would be more tolerant on people wearing style notable at work. I mean I hear them complaining all the day with 熱い, 熱い, but I am like well dress accordingly you dumb a...
So two simple things for world sake, avoid intense outdoor activities and don't wear too much particularly around arms and neck. Combined with good supply of water, that will certainly help reducing this madness every year with so many people hospitalized for heat exhaustion.
FightingViking
It's not so much the heat, it's the humidity that makes it unbearable ! 40C in Sicily was quite bearable because it was DRY heat.
divine intervention
The number of deaths by heat stroke in Japan over the last decade averages less than 30 per annum whereas the US has over 400 and the UK over 200. Adjust for population and adjust for the views of those biased ignoramuses adamant about statistical manipulation; its still bloody low!
Arimura
as usual national enquirer league reporting, and the idiots lap it up.
Kobe White Bar Owner
May i add The Japanese Olympics are planned for Friday, 24 July – Sunday 9 August 2020
taiga_123
30 degrees? gosh i though it was 50 or 60 like india. ive played soccer on 30 degrees or more. its not seriuse at all
pointofview
@Serrano,
Well over 2000 now.
A lot of 3-6 year old sporting events last weekend. Must have a different effect on them.