Tokyo, Oct 1 (IANS) Japan’s average temperature in September marked the third highest since records began in 1898, the country’s weather agency said Wednesday.
According to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), the temperature in September was 2.49 degrees Celsius higher than the mean temperature for 30 years from 1991 to 2020.
The hottest September was logged in 2023 when the temperature surpassed the standard value by 2.66 degrees Celsius, followed by 2024 when it was 2.52 degrees Celsius higher.
By region, eastern and western Japan both saw temperatures higher than average by 2.7 degrees, and northern Japan by 2.2 degrees.
Weather officials warned that higher-than-usual temperatures are expected to continue through the following month.
Japan experienced its hottest summer on record in 2025, with the nationwide average temperature 2.36 degrees Celsius higher than the long-term norm, the JMA said last month. The figure far surpassed the previous record highs set in 2022 and 2023, which were 1.76 degrees Celsius above average.
A total of 100,143 people in Japan have been taken to hospital due to heatstroke this season, exceeding 100,000 for the first time, according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency.
The figure from May through September 28 marks the highest number since 2015 when the survey period was expanded to include May, surpassing the record 97,578 logged last year, preliminary data released by the agency showed Tuesday.
Of the total transported, 116 of the patients died this year and 36,448 others developed symptoms that required hospitalisation.
Elderly people aged 65 or older accounted for 57,235, or more than half of the total. By prefecture, Tokyo had the most cases with 9,309, followed by Osaka with 7,175, and Aichi with 6,630.
Heatstroke in Japan is caused by environmental factors, especially high temperatures and humidity, exacerbated by population aging and urban heat island effects in cities. Physiological factors like age, chronic illnesses, and dehydration increase vulnerability, particularly among the elderly, who have a reduced ability to regulate their body temperature.
–IANS
/as
