August 26, 2026 | 09:38 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Japan continued to endure extreme heat on Wednesday, with temperatures reaching 40.4 degrees Celsius in the southwestern city of Fukuoka as the nationwide heat wave pushed the heatstroke death toll to at least 79.
According to Xinhua, The mercury reached 40.4°C (104.7°F) at 1:29 p.m. local time in Hakata Ward, Fukuoka City, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA). The city has recorded extreme heat for 10 consecutive days.
The JMA said hot, humid air associated with a typhoon was contributing to the high temperatures in the region, while a persistent high-pressure system was bringing hot and sunny conditions across much of Japan.
Temperatures exceeded 35°C in many areas, particularly across western Japan, including earthquake-hit Kumamoto Prefecture.
Heatstroke alerts were issued in 37 of Japan’s 47 prefectures as authorities warned residents to take precautions against the prolonged heat.
Heat Takes Toll on Public Health
The extended heat wave has placed additional pressure on Japan’s public health system.
Turkiye Today reported that more than 41,000 people were hospitalized nationwide for heatstroke in July alone, according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency. Of those hospitalized, 24,769 were aged 65 or older, accounting for more than 60 percent of the total. At least 79 people were confirmed dead.
Japan has experienced increasingly severe summer heat in recent years. Authorities have introduced the term “kokushobi,” or “cruelly hot days,” for days when temperatures reach 40°C or higher.
The latest heat wave follows another episode of extreme weather earlier this month, when torrential rain and flash floods struck parts of eastern Japan.
Heavy rainfall inundated areas of Chiba Prefecture, east of Tokyo, causing urban flooding that submerged residential areas and killed at least 13 people.
Japan has faced a series of extreme weather events this summer, with prolonged heat and intense rainfall adding to concerns over the effects of increasingly severe weather conditions.
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