Throughout much of July 2018, a record-breaking
heat wave
A heat wave, or heatwave, is a period of excessively hot weather, which may be accompanied by high humidity, especially in oceanic climate countries. While definitions vary, a heat wave is usually measured relative to the usual climate in the ...
affected large areas of
Northeast Asia including
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
,
North Korea
North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and shares borders with China and Russia to the north, at the Yalu River, Y ...
,
South Korea
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...
and
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
. Many areas in Japan experienced temperatures in excess of , and
Kumagaya
is a city located in Saitama Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 195,277 in 87,827 households and a population density of 1200 persons per km². The total area of the city is .
Geography
Kumagaya is one of the largest c ...
recorded a maximum temperature of on 23 July – the highest ever observed in the country.
Synopsis
Following
flooding and mudslides that lasted from late June through mid-July 2018, an extensive
heat wave
A heat wave, or heatwave, is a period of excessively hot weather, which may be accompanied by high humidity, especially in oceanic climate countries. While definitions vary, a heat wave is usually measured relative to the usual climate in the ...
spread across the Japanese mainland. In the
prefectures that had been hit the worst by floods and landslides,
Hiroshima
is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture in Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 1,199,391. The gross domestic product (GDP) in Greater Hiroshima, Hiroshima Urban Employment Area, was US$61.3 billion as of 2010. Kazumi Matsui h ...
,
Okayama
is the capital city of Okayama Prefecture in the Chūgoku region of Japan. The city was founded on June 1, 1889. , the city has an estimated population of 720,841 and a population density of 910 persons per km2. The total area is .
The city is ...
, and
Ehime, 145 people were hospitalized with
heat stroke
Heat stroke or heatstroke, also known as sun stroke, is a severe heat illness that results in a body temperature greater than , along with red skin, headache, dizziness, and confusion. Sweating is generally present in exertional heatstroke, ...
symptoms as temperatures there rose above .
On 15 July, 200 out of 927
stations
Station may refer to:
Agriculture
* Station (Australian agriculture), a large Australian landholding used for livestock production
* Station (New Zealand agriculture), a large New Zealand farm used for grazing by sheep and cattle
** Cattle statio ...
in the nationwide observation network recorded maximum temperatures exceeding . On 23 July, a high temperature of was observed in
Kumagaya
is a city located in Saitama Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 195,277 in 87,827 households and a population density of 1200 persons per km². The total area of the city is .
Geography
Kumagaya is one of the largest c ...
, northwest of
Tokyo
Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, with an estimated 37.468 ...
. This constitutes an all-time high for all of Japan. Many cities recorded temperatures near on this day.
In
Kyoto
Kyoto (; Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in Japan. Located in the Kansai region on the island of Honshu, Kyoto forms a part of the Keihanshin metropolitan area along with Osaka and Kobe. , the ci ...
, temperatures stood above for seven days in a row for the first time since records began to be kept in the 19th century.
By 24 July, the
Japan Meteorological Agency
The , abbreviated JMA, is an agency of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. It is charged with gathering and providing results for the public in Japan that are obtained from data based on daily scientific observation an ...
(JMA) called the event a
natural disaster
A natural disaster is "the negative impact following an actual occurrence of natural hazard in the event that it significantly harms a community". A natural disaster can cause loss of life or damage property, and typically leaves some econ ...
and indicated many areas were observing "unprecedented levels of heat".
A study depicted the three‐phase lifecycle of the East Asian summer monsoon and the corresponding timing of the 2018 consecutive extreme events (indicated in the bottom). The sequential yet contrasting extreme events in Japan therefore reflect an amplified monsoon lifecycle projected in a warmer climat
(ASL study 2019)
Effects
In
South Korea
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...
, some 42 people died, while
North Korea
North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and shares borders with China and Russia to the north, at the Yalu River, Y ...
witnessed crop destruction. In
Shenyang
Shenyang (, ; ; Mandarin pronunciation: ), formerly known as Fengtian () or by its Manchu language, Manchu name Mukden, is a major China, Chinese sub-provincial city and the List of capitals in China#Province capitals, provincial capital of Lia ...
, China,
air conditioner
Air conditioning, often abbreviated as A/C or AC, is the process of removing heat from an enclosed space to achieve a more comfortable interior environment (sometimes referred to as 'comfort cooling') and in some cases also strictly controlling ...
sales in one company spiked 35-fold over the previous years.
In Japan, at least 138 people have died from heat-related causes and at 71,266 required hospitalization for
heat stroke
Heat stroke or heatstroke, also known as sun stroke, is a severe heat illness that results in a body temperature greater than , along with red skin, headache, dizziness, and confusion. Sweating is generally present in exertional heatstroke, ...
through early August.
Fatalities have occurred in 28 of the nation's 47
prefectures.
Between 15 and 22 July, 65 people died from the heat, including 11 on 21 July and 13 on 23 July.
The number of casualties from the heat was the greatest seen in a single-week period since the government started keeping detailed records in 2008.
On 17 July, the
Tokyo Fire Department
The Tokyo Fire Department (TFD) (Japanese: 東京消防庁, Tokyo Shōbōchō) is a fire department headquartered in Ōtemachi, Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. dispatched ambulances 2,900 times—the greatest number in a single day since the department began in 1936. This was surpassed only four days later, 21 July, when ambulances were dispatched 3,125 times.
The Japanese
Education Ministry issued a warning to schools to take precautions against
heat stroke
Heat stroke or heatstroke, also known as sun stroke, is a severe heat illness that results in a body temperature greater than , along with red skin, headache, dizziness, and confusion. Sweating is generally present in exertional heatstroke, ...
, following the death of one six-year-old boy who was attending an outdoor event.
Fewer than half of schools in the country have
air conditioning
Air conditioning, often abbreviated as A/C or AC, is the process of removing heat from an enclosed space to achieve a more comfortable interior environment (sometimes referred to as 'comfort cooling') and in some cases also strictly controlling ...
, and government officials discussed extending
school holiday
An academic year or school year is a period of time which schools, colleges and universities use to measure a quantity of study.
School holiday
School holidays (also referred to as vacations, breaks, and recess) are the periods during which sch ...
s for safety.
Furthermore, the government considered covering the cost of installing air conditioners in schools.
Kyushu Electric Power offered 10 percent discounts to customers aged 75 years and older for their August and September bills to facilitate the use of air conditioners.
See also
References
External links
Japan Meteorological AgencyOfficial Website
{{Heat wave
Northeast Asia
Northeast Asia heat wave
Northeast Asia heat wave
Northeast Asia heat wave
Northeast Asia heat wave
Heat waves in Asia
Northeast Asia heat wave
Weather events in Japan
Weather events in South Korea