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39 prefectures record highest temperatures so far this year

30 Comments

Thirty-nine prefectures in Japan on Friday recorded their highest temperatures so far this year as much of the nation continued to bake.

The Japan Meteorological Agency said that the heat wave is being caused by a high pressure system lingering over the Japanese archipelago.

The day's highest temperature of 39.1 degrees was recorded in Tajimi, Gifu Prefecture, at 1:40 p.m., the agency said.

Elsewhere, in Gifu city, the mercury shot up to 38 degrees, Nagoya and Kyoto had 37.9, Kofu in Yamanashi Prefecture saw 37.1, Osaka had 36.7, Nara experienced 36.9, parts of Shizuoka and Kochi prefectures had 35.9, while in Tokyo, the temperature reached 35.4 degrees.

The agency said the extreme heat is likely to continue until Monday.

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30 Comments
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This is not great because when you combine temperatures above 35 degrees C. with over 50% humidity, heat exhaustion and heat stroke become real problems, especially the fact many Japanese homes don't even have window air conditioners. Small wonder why a lot of people visit the northern Tohoku region or Hokkaido just to cool off during the summer months.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

The agency said the extreme heat is likely to continue until Monday.

hope hospitals will be opened to accommodate heatstroke patients on weekend.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

@Raymond....

err... Japanese homes do not have "window air conditioners"... be cause... the norm is to have a split air conditioner, that allows you to put the AC a little better located in the room and saves you a window and the dreaded view blocking those blocks create.

5 ( +4 / -0 )

I'm working from home today, because I couldn't bear the thought of going outside.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

My AC and fan is on.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Still no AC or fan here(western Tokyo), 32 degrees inside.

I do get the morning sun which can make it a bit uncomfortable.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

No matter how much water I drink, the headache and dizzy feeling won't go away. I hate it when the temps go above 25c. Ideally if they stayed below 20c I'd be fine but at 38c and above, I can't do much other than lay down in the airstream of the AC and hope the heat goes away. Coolbiz at work is killing me. 28c and I'm in a constant pool of sweat. I swear my PC is breathing fire out the back.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

I always see the advertisement of Pepsi when the temps go high

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

@Know: Sounds bad. Take care. It should be set between 26 to 28. Can you get a fan at your desk? Don't drink TOO much water, that as well can be dangerous. As long as you're mellow-yellow, you're drinking enough. It doesn't have to be Crystal clear all day.

http://www.thankyourbody.com/drinking-too-much-water/

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Can't complain really... Opens up a cold brewski! :)

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Whoever invented air conditioning deserves a monument, By the way, I don't know how they are going to manage the Olympics in this heat in 2020. The marathoners will collapse.

9 ( +10 / -1 )

35 degrees in Tokyo!! fliping heck!! I dont fancy being on one of theses commuter trains first thing in the morning, did any one take the temp on a train this morning?

2 ( +2 / -0 )

@Brian: The temperature on a crowded morning Yamanote line train is a constant 36.6 degrees. Group hug!

5 ( +5 / -0 )

No matter how much water I drink, the headache and dizzy feeling won't go away.

Knowbetter, replacing just water won't help. You need to replace minerals, get some salt. You lose a lot when you sweat. In the conbini or super look for 'Fruit and Salt' drinks, they have a few flavors, and most conbini will carry one at least. Onigiri with salt, things like that.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

By the way, I don't know how they are going to manage the Olympics in this heat in 2020. The marathoners will collapse.

Not just them but those doing tris and track as well. Dumbest idea they had was to hold it at the end of July.

I have given up and turned the AC on. Enough is enough and as my husband said, "We bought the AC to use, not to look at.!

6 ( +7 / -1 )

Just yesterday I was listening to the radio while driving and they were talking about 'not using the AC at night for your health'. Instead they recommended ice pillows, some kind of cooling bed sheet etc. It can't be good for your health to sleep in a room that's 80 with no breeze, and 85% humidity! The evening weather reports drive me crazy every year, 'Another night it's going to be hard to sleep!', warning people not to get too overtired with lack of sleep due to the heat. Most homes have AC, why not use it? Why suffer?

6 ( +7 / -1 )

Last August 10 it was 34 degrees at 7pm in Tokyo, I bet this August 10 it will be even hotter.

"Most homes have AC, why not use it?"

I hate high electricity bills. Last August's bill was a real whopper!

2 ( +2 / -0 )

"window air conditioners"

Reminds me of Hong Kong with that high humidity..no, Japan's summer is nowhere near that bad.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Wow! Let me get the Valium! It's the middle of summer and most prefectures have recorded the highest temps THIS YEAR! I am beside myself with astonishment! FFS, find some news that is worth reporting!

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

The more AC you use, the more fossil fuels you bring. Energy under the form of heat does not magically vanish. Another example of self destruction is taking antibiotics for unrisky health condition. Comfort has a bitter taste.

I am hot but except if you are over a certain age or with bad health, you don t need AC. Have I survived so far. Stop behaving like spoilt children.

-7 ( +2 / -9 )

So far, summer has been relatively cool. The heat's begun late according to JMET.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Serrano, I understand, but I think it's taken to an unreasonable level here. All summer you see people interviewed on the news, saying their productivity is down due to lack of sleep, they feel miserable etc. It's just more Holy Gaman, 'we're all in the same boat' malarkey. Older people die in their homes next to unused fully functioning air conditioners. If it's unbearable, do something. It's dishonest for the media to say that AC and fans are bad for your health and discourage their use due to old wives' tales, and encourage people to suffer.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

For those martyrs claiming their legendary status by not using their air-con, you should know that domestic electricity use accounts for only 20% of electricity consumption. You are putting yourself through the discomfort for no real reason at all, other than being a tosser, of course.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

KnowBetter, i had the name of the drink backwards, it's 'Salt & Fruit'. I couldn't correct it because of not being able to make a second post.

http://dot.asahi.com/hatena/2013080900024.html

From last year they're selling 'shio-ame', or hard candy with salt in it.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

If you want to hydrate drink milk, water alone won't replace the electrolytes you need. As for A/C, I hate it. I hate draughts and I hate being in a sealed environment. Also, the more A/Cs chugging away the more the outside temperature rises, especially in built up areas, constant A/C use just makes the heat worse. If you have to use it, don't have it on all the time and use other methods to keep down the temperature indoors. I hang up wet towels or sheets on the balcony - this provides shade and cold heat coming into the flat. It last's longer than throwing down water, which dries in a couple of minutes.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

The more AC you use, the more fossil fuels you bring."

Unless you restart the nukes.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Given the innumerable cases of heat exhaustion and heat stroke last summer (with temperatures in western Japan and much of Shikoku approaching and exceeding 40 degrees C!), why don't people just set the A/C to cool the home to 26 degrees C? It's a lot easier to cool a home to 26 degrees C., which means lower electricity usage.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

No worries, the weather bureau assured us back in the spring that it would be a Reika, ie cold summer. Can't wait.

34 inside the house right now, at 12:00 midnight.

Need to remember some of those tricks from last summer, like having the fan blow across a frozen water bottle standing in a condensation catch can.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I'm off to Europe-I've had enough.....

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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