Japan on alert after four people die amid early summer heatwave
Japan has issued a public alert after record-breaking early-summer heat enveloped much of the country this week and four people died from suspected heatstroke.
The Kanto–Koshin region recorded temperatures above 35C at 65 observation points, with Kofu touching 38.2C, Takasaki 37.7C and Shizuoka 37.6C.
In all, at least 547 locations in the country recorded temperatures over 30C this week, including Tokyo at 34.8C and Osaka at 33.4C.
'The current heat is clearly unusual,' Yukiko Imada, professor in the University of Tokyo 's Climate System Research department, told the South China Morning Post.
The four people who died of heatstroke were all elderly and included a woman aged 96 who was found collapsed in a field in Gunma and later pronounced dead.
Tokyo hospitals treated 169 people for heatstroke symptoms on 18 June and a further 57 the next day, demonstrating mounting strain on healthcare services.
Authorities have warned that above-average heat is likely to continue through the weekend and have set up more than 500 temporary cooling shelters in affected areas. Emergency services are urging people, particularly the elderly, to stay indoors, hydrate regularly, and avoid unnecessary outdoor activity.
Forecasters predict the heatwave to last until the end of this week. They say that clear skies and weak winds driven by a strong Pacific high-pressure system are responsible.
The meteorological agency has forecast that summer 2025 is likely to be 'above normal' in terms of temperature, raising concerns of further extreme heat events in the months ahead.
The heatwave arrives on the heels of last year's record-breaking summer, the hottest in Japan since records began in 1898. Average summer temperatures in 2024 were 1.76C above the 1991-2020 norm and over 120 people died from heatstroke in Tokyo alone in July 2024.
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'Modern overhead lines, such as those in place on the lines between Norwich, Ipswich, Colchester, Clacton, Harwich, Braintree, Cambridge and London Liverpool Street, and those installed on the Southend Victoria line, do not sag in high temperatures, avoiding the need for precautionary speed restrictions,' Greater Anglia explained. One of the key ways that networks prevent tracks from overheating is by painting them white. Dr John Easton, an executive panel member of the IET's Railway Technical Network, explained: 'This can reduce the track temperature by 5°C and reduces signalling failures which lead to significant disruption. 'This technique is also used in countries where high temperatures are more commonplace, such as Italy, where engineers often paint the inside faces of the rails white to reflect the sunlight and lower the risk of buckling.' Most tracks across the UK are made of long pieces of rail that are stretched and welded together. 'There is much less chance of buckling in very high temperatures because there is reduced compression,' Network Rail added. 'When a track is made up from short rails bolted together, we leave small gaps between each one so that expansion doesn't cause a problem.' Meanwhile, in some part of Britain's rail network, tracks are laid on reinforced concrete slabs, rather than on sleepers and ballast - a technique often used to prevent buckling in hotter countries. While this also helps to prevent damage, it costs about four times as much to install as standard ballasted track. Worryingly, climate change could increase the frequency and severity of extreme heatwaves, and cause even more chaos for railway networks. 'We work closely with many governmental and specialist organisations to prepare our railway for the climate changes projected over the next few years, decades and beyond,' Network Rail said. WHY DO STORMS AND HOT WEATHER CAUSE DISRUPTION TO TRAINS AND PLANES? HOW HOT WEATHER AFFECTS AIRCRAFT Aircraft components begin to overheat and become damaged in extreme temperatures, with seals softening or melting. If temperatures exceed 47°C (116°F), planes are grounded as some aircraft manufacturers can't guarantee the necessary engine propulsion. HOW STORMS AND HOT WEATHER AFFECT FLYING Aeroplanes fly because the speed of the aircraft causes ambient air to travel over the wings creating lift. When the flow of air is disrupted, the wing loses, or gains, lift. Hot air is less dense than cold air, which means aircraft require more engine power to generate the same thrust and lift as they would in cooler climes. The warmer it gets, the less density there is in the air, which in turn results in less upwind for the wings. Cumulonimus clouds, which occur during thunderstorms, can also be problematic as they are associated with heavy and sudden down pours of rain. These clouds are often caused by periods of very hot weather. Thunderstorms are a challenge for a pilot because there are several dangers like wind shear, turbulence, rain, icing and lightning. HOW HEAT AFFECTS TRAINS Thousands of miles of steel tracks cross the UK, much of which is exposed to sunlight. Tracks in direct sunshine can be as much as 20°C (36°F) hotter than the ambient air temperature according to Network Rail, which manages Britain's railway infrastructure. Heatwaves can cause points failures and signal disturbances, while in some places the tracks have buckled under the heat. As temperature rises, the steel rail absorbs heat and expands, causing it to curve, or buckle. The forces the temperature change provokes pushes and pulls the track out of shape. Buckled tracks need to be repaired before trains can run again, leading to disruption. Overhead lines can also expand and sag in extreme heat, bringing a risk of passing trains pulling them down.
