Heatwave is hitting Japan in May

Parts of Japan experience record high temperatures for May

TOKYO – On Saturday, May 25, there was a temperature rise across Japan. Usually, the temperature rise wouldn’t be seen until the height of summer. However, this year was different. Due to the temperature rise, many people were being taken to the hospitals because they couldn’t stand the sun as well as the temperature anymore. The weather agency also has been pleaded to issue heatstroke warnings due to this temperature rise.

In southwestern Japan, specifically in the city of Taketa in Oita Prefecture, has marked 35.0 C as the hottest temperature in the country this year. Meanwhile, other cities such as central Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka, and Fukuoka marked the temperature rise above 30.0 C.

According to a data compiled by Kyodo News, a lot of people have been taken to the hospital. Most of the cases were people taken by ambulance after they had the heat-related illness. As of Saturday, the number has reached at least 460 people across the country. Furthermore, the number can still go up if the temperature is still rising.

The Japan Meteorological Agency predicted that the heatwave will be continued through Monday in many parts of Japan. Not only the stated cities above, but Aomori, Nara, Matsuyama, and Yamaguchi have also marked the temperature in May as high.

Back in 2018, more than 95,000 people were taken to the hospitals due to heatstroke around May and September. At that time, the high temperature was designated as natural disaster by the government.