Japan Records Record-Breaking 10 'Extreme Heat Days' Above 40°C This Year

Japan has recorded 10 "extreme heat days" with temperatures exceeding 40°C (104°F) so far this year, breaking last year's record for the highest number on record.

According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, temperatures across the Japanese archipelago rose today, centered around the southwestern region of Kyushu, reaching 40.4°C (104.7°F) in Hakata Ward, Fukuoka City, at around 1:30 PM.

With today's figures, the total number of extreme heat days where daily peak temperatures soared to 40°C (104°F) or higher reached 10 this year, surpassing last year's 9 days and setting a new all-time record.

This year, Japan has experienced prolonged extreme heat, particularly in western regions close to the Korean Peninsula such as Kyushu and western Honshu, due to a "heat dome" caused by the overlapping of upper-level Tibetan high-pressure systems and lower-level North Pacific high-pressure systems.

Meanwhile, a survey on air conditioner usage conducted by air conditioning manufacturer Daikin Industries across 12 cities worldwide showed that Tokyo had the longest average daily household air conditioning operation time during the summer, at 14 hours and 12 minutes.

The survey was conducted between May and June among a total of 1,200 air conditioner owners in each city.

Houston, United States, ranked second at 14 hours and 2 minutes, followed by Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) at 12 hours and 56 minutes, and Shanghai, China, at 11 hours and 56 minutes.

The average usage time across the 12 cities was 10 hours and 10 minutes.

In Tokyo, about 30% of respondents answered that they run their air conditioners all day long.

The proportion of respondents who answered that it has "become hotter" than five years ago stood at 94.0% in Tokyo, the second highest after Bangkok at 97.0%.

The average across the 12 cities was tallied at 86.5%.

In fact, Tokyo's average peak temperature from June to August stood at 31.9°C (89.4°F) based on the 2023–2025 period, up 2.3°C (4.1°F) compared to 2018–2020, marking the largest increase among the 12 cities surveyed by Daikin Industries during the same period.

A Daikin Industries official analyzed, "As Tokyo's summer temperatures rise, running air conditioners for long periods has become common."
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.