We will have to get used to these kinds of summers. There is no doubt that there is a link to climate change. We need to take heat waves seriously around the world as something that we need to adapt to.

LOL whenever we have a hot summer we hear plenty from the warming fanatics but nothing from them during cool summers and record cold winters, all of which we have had recently. Global warming is a pseudoscience.

@cla68: Did you even read the article? He stated "climate change" not "global warming" which is rather a misnomer, since climate change affects all aspects of weather and climate, be it hotter summers or colder winters with more snowfalls.

I often hear on Japanese weather forecasts "Schichigatsu nami" (July standard temperatures) or "Hachigatsu nami" (August standard temperatures). Except that this year we were hearing Shichigatsu nami as early as May. And for sure in July this year we were experiencing August heat. I think it's time to completely adjust the standard of what temperatures we should expect.

"July standard" should now be used in May and June.

"August standard" should now be used in July.

And August standard? I'm afraid to even ask.

LOL whenever we have a hot summer we hear plenty from the warming fanatics but nothing from them during cool summers and record cold winters, all of which we have had recently. Global warming is a pseudoscience.

So we have the word of an Oxford University Professor specializing in the field versus the word of a JT commenter spouting incomplete information and calling everyone in the scientific community fanatics.

Gee I wonder which I should believe.....

Climate change or not. I've been here 15 years and it always gets over 35 degrees regularly in many parts of Japan. I've seen unofficial readings of over 40 degrees many times as well. Not saying climate change isn't a thing, but I've heard people say things like, "this summer is hotter than normal," every single year.

Leigh Ivan - the reason people say summer's are getting hotter every year is, ...well... because they are.

A quick check of the data will confirm for you that science is right and there has been a consistent rise in temperatures.

The strange phenomena of climate change in the summer in Japan only in this few years were those "guerrillas" heavy rains of a month in one day, more tornadoes (never existed in Japan) that was going bigger size shape what you see in US, and the last one that typhoon course from opposite side, never happened before. Only to say those events were really abnormal, some people say it's a circle of nature according to period of time, others say it was caused by human-made environmental influences. As much I agree to the second, we have to refrain mass-production of too many products that create garbage and less polluted air.