Japan sets new record high temperature

Japan logged a new heat record on Tuesday, with the mercury hitting 41.8C, the weather office said, warning temperatures may rise further still.

Temperatures the world over have soared in recent years as climate change creates ever more erratic weather patterns, and Japan is no exception.

The scorching temperature in the city of Isesaki on Tuesday surpassed the previous record seen in the western Hyogo region of 41.2C only last week.

Tokyo has also been struggling with extreme heat.

“I’m really concerned about global warming, but when it comes to my daily life, I can’t live without turning on the air conditioner,” office worker Mayomi Saito told AFP.

“I don’t really know what I should be doing, I’m just desperately getting through each day.”

Japan’s summer last year was the joint hottest on record, equaling the level seen in 2023, followed by the warmest autumn since records began 126 years ago.