According to Japanese authorities, during July, when the country’s average temperature reached record highs and heat advisories were in place for a large portion of the month, over 120 people passed away from heatstroke in the Tokyo metropolitan region.
Many of the 123 deceased were elderly, according to the Tokyo Medical Examiner’s Office. With the exception of two, all were discovered dead inside, and the majority had air conditioners installed but were not in use.
As a result of the widespread belief among the elderly that air conditioning is unhealthy, Japanese health authorities and meteorologists frequently recommended people to stay indoors, drink plenty of drinks to prevent dehydration, and utilise air conditioning.
More than 37,000 people were treated at hospitals for heatstroke across Japan from July 1 to July 28, according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency.
The average temperature in July was 2.16 degrees Celsius (3.89 degrees Fahrenheit) higher than the average over the past 30 years, making it the hottest July since the Japan Meteorological Agency began keeping records in 1898.
On Tuesday, heatstroke warnings were in place in much of Tokyo and western Japan. The temperature rose to about 34 C (93 F) in downtown Tokyo, where many people carried parasols or handheld fans.
The meteorological agency predicted more heat in August, with temperatures of 35 C (95 F) or higher.
In a statement, the agency appealed to people to pay attention to
temperature forecasts and heatstroke alerts and take adequate precautions to prevent heatstroke,” it said in a statement.
