Heat wave deaths climb to 80 as authorities weigh preventive measures

In its bid documents to host the event, the city described the months of July and August as "having many days of mild and sunny weather" that "provide an ideal climate for athletes to perform".

Did nobody fact check? That's a blatant lie.

Luddite, I've noticed that. It's not the ambient temperature but the feeling on the skin - for the elderly, they can feel cold while still having a dangerously high internal temperature. Try keeping the AC on while covering grandma with a light blanket which will keep her skin temperature more aligned to her internal temperature.

Yes! As stated by commenter above - Daylight Saving Time. To save energy and maybe lives, and certainly a more comfortable life. But the clock is sacred in Japan. All bow down before the clock. To alter the clock is to go against nature itself here!

So, pack your Eco bag and do what looks good. And never mind if anything is accomplished.

Have fun in your Alphard vans!

We recently spent a few days with my mother in law, who was using aircon but at 28c and then kept turning it off as she felt cold. Old people have difficulty monitoring the ambient temperature as well as their own body temperatures, so just telling them to use the aircon is not the answer.

talk talk talk talk talk talk form panels, talk talk talk talk talk, form panels, Watch people die, talk talk talk talk talk talk talk... and then hopefully things get cooler so no one actually has to do anything but collect a pay-cheque for talking.

using air conditioning would help. I've gone to many businesses only to have limited AC on and it was hot. The reason too much cost to run the AC.

But daylight saving would confuse the cows! Seriously I was told that. But the upside would be more over work and meet Shizos goal of 100 hrs extra work.

I read about an air con "gap" (kakusa) between schools in Japanese last week. It sounds like some schools spent money on air cons and others had to spend it on reinforcing their buildings in case of an earthquake. Apparently there are neighbouring towns in the same prefecture where one town will have air con and the schools in the other town won't.

As for what the government can do, it could finally consider introducing summertime so that more people are awake and active when the sun is less intense and the temperature is lower. You can't expect people to get up at 5am if their lives already involve coming home late from work or juku. It might be an idea to mandate that all teachers, hoikuen staff, and sports coaches have training to recognize and treat sunstroke and heat stroke. Businesses should be told to ignore the 28C Cool Biz setting of aircons in genuine heatwaves like this one.

Matrix moment, who are those men in suits at the door?

Common sense is the best weapon in the war against the heat. How many of these deaths would be avoidable if a little, even a microscopic dot, of common sense were utilized?

If it's hot outside, don't go outside. And please, of the aicondotioner is set at 28 degrees, you've got everything coming to u

I'm starting to think there may be something in this 'Global Warming' thingy, it was freezing just a few months ago.

Luddite, I've noticed that. It's not the ambient temperature but the feeling on the skin - for the elderly, they can feel cold while still having a dangerously high internal temperature. Try keeping the AC on while covering grandma with a light blanket which will keep her skin temperature more aligned to her internal temperature.

She's always swathed in a blanket when the aircon or fan is on. Doesn't make any difference, and I'm sure it's the same for many older people. Even so the mindless mantra of 'use your aircon' is churned out in a one size fits all approach by the authorities.

I agree with others that suggest daylight saving. That and opening shops and businesses earlier during the summer.

In its bid documents to host the event, the city described the months of July and August as "having many days of mild and sunny weather" that "provide an ideal climate for athletes to perform".

And yet another straight up lie in Tokyo's Olympic bid. Japan lied about everything to get the Olympics. The venues, the athletes accommodation, the budget and even the weather. What an absolute disgrace!

The government said it may pay to help state schools install air conditioners and suggested extending summer vacations, which started this week for many students. While most schools in Tokyo have coolers, few in rural areas do.

Notice the key word in this statement is, 'may'. This is also the same government that created the 28' Cool Biz campaign, right? However, the problem with the schools is not cooling the classrooms. The problem is stupid teachers sending kids outside in 35'+ to play sports. And, they refuse them refreshments until certified break times, which could be an hour apart.

This whole article reads like a bunch of political jargon with no real meaning. Advising people to stay out of the sun is absurd because most people are working in slave-like conditions. They dare not refuse any orders given to them whether it means risking heat related illness or not. There is no real advice on how to beat the heat. Yeah, keep sipping water is the only piece of advice, which is quite meaningless. No mention of wearing light long sleeved clothing or wearing a wide brimmed hat. Japanese people have thick black hair, which absorbs the heat and virtually cooks their brains (if they have any). They have all been to the countryside and see the old men and lady farmers covered from head to toe with light clothing and wearing wide brimmed hats. They don't have enough sense to realise that this is how you survive long periods in the hot sun. Why isn't the all-knowing NHK promoting sensible clothing to combat heart stroke.