Japan issues multiple heat alerts amid soaring temperatures

TOKYO – Japan issued multiple heat alerts across the country as temperatures soared, touching 36 deg C in Tokyo prefecture on June 18.

Fifty-seven people were transported to the hospital in Tokyo on June 18 for heat-related illnesses NHK reported, citing the fire department. In June alone, record temperatures were logged in 14 weather stations across the country, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.

The alerts come after record-breaking heat last summer resulted in the government passing tougher rules that require employers take adequate protection from extreme temperatures. In 2024, there were 30 workplace deaths and roughly 1,200 injuries associated with high temperatures, according to the Health Ministry.

Heatstroke is a potentially life-threatening condition caused by dangerously high body temperature that can result in severe organ damage if not treated quickly.

There were almost half a million heat-related deaths annually between 2000 and 2019, according to a report in 2024 by the World Health Organisation.

Along with public health impacts, higher temperatures can impact worker productivity and there’s growing concern about the economic toll that heat waves have on economies.

Global average temperatures exceeded 1.5 deg C above pre-industrial levels for the first time in 2024 and new highs are forecast to be recorded over the next five years, according the World Meteorological Organisation. Bloomberg

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