Japan is currently reeling from an extreme heatwave, with temperatures crossing over 40 degrees Celsius during the afternoon. This has broken a 150-year-old record. According to the Japanese weather department, a high-pressure system covering most of the archipelago is pushing up temperatures to dangerous levels in eastern and western parts of the country.
The capital city Tokyo recorded over 40 degrees Celsius during the day. Even island areas such as the Kanto region reported over 40 degrees Celsius, which is life-threatening heat. Meanwhile, Kuwana City in Mie Prefecture recorded a temperature of 40.5 degrees Celsius at around 1.30 pm in the afternoon.
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This is the eighth day this year that the country has been reeling under the highest temperature, breaking the 150-year-old record. As of 11 am, the heatwave had already raised to 37.8 degrees in Kiryu City, Gunma Prefecture, 37.6 degrees in Hatoyama Town, Saitama Prefecture, 37.3 degrees in Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture, 36.4 degrees in Nagoya City, and 36 degrees in central Tokyo.
A local said when he go out in the day he have to wear protective sunglasses. He said it's getting hotter and hotter every year, maybe due to climate change. Another Japanese resident who was carrying an umbrella spoke to the news agency IANS, said, "Its really hot, need to apply screen care while going out and carry umbrella. Its becoming hotter every year"
According to the forecast, the temperature is expected to hit 39 degrees in the cities of Maebashi, Kofu, Nagoya and Gifu, 38 degrees in the cities of Saitama, Hamamatsu and Kyoto, 37 degrees in central Tokyo, Okayama City and Takamatsu City, and 36 degrees in the cities of Mito, Toyama, Osaka, Tottori, Fukuoka and Kumamoto.