Tuesday was another scorching day from eastern to western Japan, with temperatures topping 38 degrees Celsius in the country’s southwest.
The Meteorological Agency says a life-threatening heatwave continued from the Kanto to Kyushu regions.
Daytime highs hit 38.5 degrees in Hyuga City, Miyazaki Prefecture. The mercury topped 37 in many other areas, including Tsuchiura City, northeast of Tokyo, and Kihoku Town in central Japan.
Weather officials say overnight lows will remain over 25 degrees through Wednesday morning in many places from western to eastern Japan.
They are advising residents to appropriately use air conditioners during the night and prepare water by their bedside to keep hydrated even if they don’t feel thirsty.
The intense heatwave is expected to linger on Wednesday.
Some areas, including central Tokyo and Saitama City, may see temperatures rise to 35 degrees. A high of 34 is forecast for Yokohama, Shizuoka and elsewhere.
The Meteorological Agency and the Environment Ministry warn that the danger of heatstroke will be extremely high due to sweltering heat combined with high humidity.
The agency issued heatstroke alerts for Chiba, Nagasaki and Kumamoto prefectures, as well as parts of Kagoshima and Okinawa prefectures.
The recent heatwave has caused a surge in the number of people taken to hospital due to heatstroke. Some cases were fatal.
As the elderly and infants are said to be more susceptible to heatstroke, weather officials are urging their family members to watch them closely.