TOKYO: Japanese cities are experiencing "cruelly hot days", a new meteorological term devised this year to warn people of intense heat above 40°C, with emergency officials describing the soaring temperatures on Wednesday as "a disaster". Heatstroke alerts were issued across almost the whole country and emergency officials said at least 14 people had died from heat-related causes in the past week.
Three central cities logged scorching temperatures on Tuesday above the new threshold, called "kokushobi" and which translates to "cruelly hot day", according to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA). Large areas, including the central hub of Nagoya and communities near Tokyo in the east, were enduring temperatures approaching or above 40°C on Wednesday.
The new term was designed to draw greater public attention to heat-related warnings, although it does not trigger any official measures nationwide. The JMA has issued heatstroke alerts in 41 out of Japan's 47 prefectures, urging the public to take steps to stay cool. Almost 11,000 people sought emergency medical care in Japan in the past week, according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency. Scientists say human-induced climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme heat events in Japan and elsewhere. — AFP
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