A jacket with fans, road coating that cools down the heat and factory mist sprays were all on offer at a Japanese trade fair on Thursday as the nation struggles with a record heatwave. Ed Giles reports.

AN EXTREME heatwave that has hit in Japan has led to temperatures as high as 40C, with the casualties climbing up as more deaths were reported.

The Japan Times reports that more than 10,000 people had been taken to hospital due to heat stroke related symptoms.

The death toll had climbed to 30, after 10 more deaths were reported on Thursday.

Some areas in central Japan registered record high temperatures of 40C, said the Japan Meteorological Agency.

On Friday, temperatures had reached a little above 35C, with the heatwave set to continue over the next few days.

The Tokyo Fire Department reported that, rescue teams Thursday responded to more than 3000 emergency calls as the temperatures soared to 40C and 317 people were taken to hospital.

Students involved in outdoor activities across the country were also affected by the rising temperatures and some were taken to hospital after they showed symptoms of heat stroke and exhaustion.

A six-year-old child died on Tuesday after participating in an outdoor class in school, which led the education ministry to urge educational institutions across the country to adopt preventive measures.

West Japan, still grappling with the devastating effects of torrential rains in the beginning of July, has now been hit by the high temperatures, which are hampering rescue and reconstruction efforts.

High temperatures also caused flight delays on Wednesday from Tokyo’s Haneda airport after one of the runway’s floor weakened due to heat and caved in, the Japanese transport ministry said.

The heatwave is expected to continue into next week, with AccuWeather estimating the death toll would rise.

“AccuWeather estimates the death toll from Japan heatwave is likely already in the hundreds despite the official toll of somewhat more than two dozen, and we predict the number will climb into the thousands before the heatwave ends,” AccuWeather President and Founder Dr. Joel N. Myers said.

“The actual total human toll may not ever be known as heat-related fatality reports are historically underdone since not all deaths are correctly attributed to heat and some result from accelerating serious health issues and the fatalities show up weeks later.

“The elderly and those with pre-existent conditions, such as asthma and heart failure, are likely to face declining health due to exacerbation of their conditions due to weather.

“Heat exhaustion and stroke, dehydration, migraines, loss of sleep and mood alteration can all occur due to dangerous heat.

“Historical data shows that more people are likely to be involved in vehicle crashes due to heat-related impacts, such as decreased ability to concentrate, the poor quality of sleep they get and impaired mood, etc.”

The heatwave in Japan is also reviving concerns about the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, which will be held during the country’s notoriously sweltering summer.

While the Games have been held in places that are hotter or more humid than Tokyo, including Athens and Beijing, Japan’s sweaty summers offer both blistering heat and smothering humidity in a particularly unpleasant, and sometimes deadly, combination.

Olympic officials and Tokyo’s local government are touting measures from solar-blocking paint on roads to mobile misting stations to tackle the heat.

But some experts fear the efforts are insufficient, in a country where summer heat kills hundreds of people and hospitalises tens of thousands each year. </s> Officials are warning residents in Japan to take precautions during the hottest heatwave in five years. More than 10,000 people have been taken to hospital due to heat stroke-related symptoms according to The Japan Times. Tokyo fire department reported that rescue teams on June 19 responded to more than 3,000 emergency calls with 317 people taken to hospital. Students who have been taking part in activities outside have been affected by scorching temperatures, with some taken to hospital showing signs of exhaustion and heatstroke.

Flights have faced delays due to the sweltering temperatures, with a runway at Tokyo’s Haneda airport weakening and caving in under the heat. Kyoto City has had temperatures reach above 38C for seven days straight, the longest since records began in the 19th Century. Japan’s Meteorological Agency has predicted that high temperatures could last until August 2.

The temperatures are causing concern for the 2020 Olympics which are being held in Tokyo in the summer months. Whilst hot locations for the Olympics are nothing new, Japan’s combination of scorching heat and smothering humidity can be a deadly combination. How many people have died? The death toll currently stands at 30 people, with 10 deaths reported on Thursday, June 19 alone.

A six-year-old boy died on June 17 after taking part in a lesson outside. This tragedy led to the education ministry advising schools across the country to enact preventive measures. The hot weather will reportedly continue, with Accuweather predicting the death toll will continue to rise. “AccuWeather estimates the death toll from Japan heatwave is likely already in the hundreds despite the official toll of somewhat more than two dozen, and we predict the number will climb into the thousands before the heatwave ends,” AccuWeather President and Founder Dr Joel N. Myers said.

A six-year-old boy died on June 17 after taking part in a lesson outside. This tragedy led to the education ministry advising schools across the country to enact preventive measures. The hot weather will reportedly continue, with Accuweather predicting the death toll will continue to rise. “AccuWeather estimates the death toll from Japan heatwave is likely already in the hundreds despite the official toll of somewhat more than two dozen, and we predict the number will climb into the thousands before the heatwave ends,” AccuWeather President and Founder Dr Joel N. Myers said. “The actual total human toll may not ever be known as heat-related fatality reports are historically underdone since not all deaths are correctly attributed to heat and some result from accelerating serious health issues and the fatalities show up weeks later. </s> TOKYO: Fifty-seven people have died due to heat-related medical issues in Japan since last week, the government said on Tuesday, with the number of those taken to hospitals more than tripling to 18,347 from the previous week's 5,664.

The weekly figure for hospitalizations due to high temperatures was the second highest since tallies began in 2008, according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency.

 

 ALSO READ: Japan heatwave kills 65 in one week; weather agency classifyies record-breaking weather as 'natural disaster'

Of the 18,347 people, 729 had severe symptoms, while 6,548 had less serious issues, requiring shorter stays. Those aged 65 and older accounted for 54.3 per cent of the total, the Japan Times reported.

Tokyo had the most people taken to hospitals at 1,857, followed by 1,342 in Aichi Prefecture and 1,307 in Saitama Prefecture.

Deaths were reported across 24 prefectures, with Hokkaido seeing the most at seven, followed by five each in Ibaraki and Saitama.

A high pressure system over the Japanese archipelago preserved extreme heat, said the agency.

It advised people to constantly stay hydrated and rest in cooler areas. </s> A heatwave gripping Japan has so far killed more than 30 people – 10 in one day alone – and has sent thousands to hospital.

The country has been enduring record-breaking temperatures of up to 40.7C (105F) after nearly a week where thermometers have not dipped blow 38C in places.

And people have been warned to brace for more scorching weather that threatens to last until the end of the month.

In Tokyo alone, rescuers responded to more than 3,000 emergency calls over 24-hours – a single-day record.

The youngest known victim of the heatwave is a six-year-old boy who died following an outdoor class at his school in central Japan.

The sweltering heat has raised concerns about the suitability of Tokyo as a venue for the 2020 Olympics.

Japan’s meteorological agency urged people to drink enough water to prevent heat exhaustion.

The intense heat has also made it more difficult for disaster victims and rescuers in areas devastated by the torrential rains that caused extensive flooding and deadly landslides in western Japan earlier this month. </s> • 77 people have died and 30,000 have been sent to hospitals across Japan as a heatwave sweeps the country.
• Temperatures reached 41.1 degrees Celsius (105.8 Farenheit) on Monday in Kumagaya, an all-time record in Japan.
• Japan’s Meteorological Agency has warned temperatures are a “threat to life.”
• The heat wave has persisted following torrential rains which triggered landslides and heavy flooding in western Japan this month.

77 people have died and tens of thousands more have been sent to hospitals across Japan as a heatwave continues to sweep the country.

Temperatures reached a record high of 41.1 degrees Celsius (105.8 Farenheit) on Monday in Kumagaya, a city northwest of Tokyo in the Saitama prefecture, according to Kyodo News. Since July 9, over 30,000 people have been checked at Japanese hospitals and many of the fatalities were reportedly elderly citizens.

Japan’s Meteorological Agency said at a news conference Monday that the scorching temperatures were a “threat to life.”

“We recognize it as a natural disaster,” a spokesperson said.

Extreme heat is expected to continue for two more weeks, with forecasted weather set to exceed 35 degrees Celsius (95 Farenheit) on Tuesday in several prefectures, including Tokyo and Saitama. The agency issued a warning asking the public to stay hydrated and take preventive measures against heatstroke.

The heat wave has persisted following torrential rains which triggered landslides and heavy flooding in western Japan.

Over 200 people were killed, Japan’s highest death toll caused by rainfall in decades. </s> Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Eleven people have died and 5,000 have been hospitalised

A man dressed in a mascot costume at an amusement park is one of least 11 people who have died as a result of a heatwave sweeping Japan.

The 28-year-old died from heatstroke on Sunday evening in Hirakata Park, Osaka, after dancing for 20 minutes while wearing a 16kg (35lb) outfit.

In response, the park has cancelled all events using mascot costumes.

Official figures revealed more than 5,000 people sought hospital treatment due to the heatwave in the last week.

According to Kyodo news agency, more than 50% of those hospitalised were aged 65 and over.

Temperatures are expected to remain higher than average for the next week.

The part-time worker at Hirakata Park was dressed in an outfit to play the role of a fairy character who lives in the park, police were quoted by the Asahi Shimbun newspaper as saying.

He had been rehearsing on stage with other staff members when he fell ill at around 19.30 (10:30 GMT) on 28 July. The highest temperature in Hirakata that day was 33.2C (91.76F), and by 20:00 it was 28.7C, the newspaper added.

The worker lost consciousness and was rushed to hospital where he died.

In a statement, owners of the park, Keihan Leisure Service promised to "find the cause" of the incident and "work to prevent it from happening again", the Japan Times said.

The highest temperatures, of around 37C, on Monday were recorded in Gifu Prefecture, central Japan, and Iwate Prefecture in the north of the country, the newspaper also reports. Some 80% of the country's 926 temperature monitoring posts marked 30C or above, according to Japan's meteorology agency.

It's not the first time Japan has been gripped by a deadly heatwave. In July last year, the country's weather agency declared a heatwave a natural disaster after 65 people died from heat-related deaths within one week. </s> Heatwave in Japan kills 57 in one week with 18,000 hospitalized - Fifty-seven people died due to heat-related medical issues in Japan over the week starting July 29, the government said Tuesday, with the number of those taken to hospitals more than tripling from the previous week's 5,664 to 18,347. Tokyo - Fifty-seven people died due to heat-related medical issues in Japan over the week starting July 29, the government said Tuesday, with the number of those taken to hospitals more than tripling from the previous week's 5,664 to 18,347. According to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency, this week's figures of those sent to hospitals was the second-highest since heat-related injury tallies began in 2008, according to the Senior citizens accounted for over half of the total number of heat-related illnesses, with 729 exhibiting severe symptoms that will require more than three weeks of treatment, health officials said. Tokyo had the largest number of hospitalizations, with 1,857, followed by 1,342 in Aichi and 1,307 in Saitama prefectures. Deaths were reported across 24 prefectures, with seven in Hokkaido in northern Japan. In Tokyo, an 8:30 a.m. power outage left “An announcement told us to open the windows, and passengers worked together to do so. After we exited onto the tracks, I felt scared when I saw people being taken away on stretchers,” said a 54-year-old woman who had been on one of the suspended trains. August is the hottest month in Japan, with the average temperature in Tokyo hitting 79°F (26°C), while the coldest month is January at 41°F (5°C). However, in Tokyo on Tuesday morning at 9 a.m., the temperature was 32.5 C (90.5°F).According to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency, this week's figures of those sent to hospitals was the second-highest since heat-related injury tallies began in 2008, according to the Japan Times. Senior citizens accounted for over half of the total number of heat-related illnesses, with 729 exhibiting severe symptoms that will require more than three weeks of treatment, health officials said. Tokyo had the largest number of hospitalizations, with 1,857, followed by 1,342 in Aichi and 1,307 in Saitama prefectures. Deaths were reported across 24 prefectures, with seven in Hokkaido in northern Japan.In Tokyo, an 8:30 a.m. power outage left eight trains stranded on the tracks between stations, forcing the Keikyu Corporation, which owns the train system to resort to backup power, however, they could not use this to run the air-conditioning system in the train cars.“An announcement told us to open the windows, and passengers worked together to do so. After we exited onto the tracks, I felt scared when I saw people being taken away on stretchers,” said a 54-year-old woman who had been on one of the suspended trains. </s> , TOKYO, Japan, Jul 16 – A blistering heatwave smothered swathes of flood-hit western Japan Monday, hampering clean-up efforts as survivors and relief workers toil in stifling temperatures a week after devastating inundations that killed more than 200 people.

Tens of thousands of rescue workers are still digging through the debris for bodies after Japan’s worst weather-related disaster in over three decades, which saw record downpours spark flash flooding and landslides across the region.

The toll of 219 is expected to continue to rise, with at least 21 still missing, while the punishing heatwave has pushed the thermometre above 35C (95F) and raised fears for vulnerable people.

Some 4,700 survivors were forced to evacuate the disaster area, where homes were reduced to rubble by the floods and landslides.

Many remain in shelters, while others have been left without water supply.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga warned survivors, volunteers and the 64,000 rescue workers in the disaster zone of the dangers of heatstroke.

“We are operating in tough conditions, with a severe heatwave in this region,” Koji Kunitomi, a spokesman at the disaster management department in flood-hit Okayama prefecture, told AFP.

Sweltering summer weather has swept across Japan in recent days, sending temperatures surging just days after the record rainfall.

The country’s meteorological agency has warned that the heat is “more severe” than normal, with temperatures in Okayama hitting a high of 36.8C on Monday, compared to an average high of 31C in the city.

On Sunday, local media reported that three people had died and more than 2,000 were sent to hospital across the nation due to heatstroke.

Television footage of the relief efforts in western Japan showed survivors and volunteers struggling to clear debris under the intense sun.

The body of one victim covered in a blue tarpaulin was carried from a destroyed house in Aki, Hiroshima on Monday.

The scale of the toll from the floods has prompted questions about whether authorities were properly prepared and acted effectively.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has pledged support for survivors’ businesses, including to provide interest-free loans to farmers in the region.

“I want to take concrete measures to help people in the disaster areas revive their livelihoods as quickly as possible,” Abe told his ministers and government officials in Tokyo.

The government has assessed agricultural losses of at least 48 billion yen ($429 million), according to Suga. </s> People across Japan have been urged to take precautions against a heatwave that has killed about 30 people.

Thousands more have sought hospital treatment for heat-related conditions over the past two weeks.

In the city of Kyoto temperatures have stood above 38C (100.4F) for seven days in a row for the first time since records began in the 19th Century.

The Japanese education ministry told schools to take thorough measures to prevent heat stroke after a six-year-old boy died following an outdoor class in Aichi Prefecture on Tuesday.

The temperatures are also complicating flood recovery efforts in western Japan, as many volunteers struggle with the heat.

More than 200 people were killed in the floods and mudslides triggered by record rainfall earlier this month.
The death toll from a heatwave in Japan rises to 30.