TOKYO: Seventeen heat records were broken in Japan on Monday, the weather agency confirmed, as the country endured its hottest June and July on record. Scientists attribute the rising intensity and frequency of heatwaves globally to human-caused climate change, with Japan facing severe consequences.
The city of Komatsu in Ishikawa prefecture recorded a scorching 40.3 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit), the highest ever for the area, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA). Toyama city also hit a historic high of 39.8C (103F), while 15 other locations saw temperatures surge between 35.7C (96F) and 39.8C.
Japan’s highest temperature ever, 41.2C (106F), was recorded on July 30 in Hyogo prefecture. The early end of the rainy season in western Japan, about three weeks sooner than usual, worsened drought conditions. Low rainfall has left dams in the north nearly empty, raising concerns among farmers about water shortages and poor harvests.
Climate impacts extend beyond agriculture. Cherry blossoms, a cultural symbol, are blooming earlier or incompletely due to insufficient winter chilling. Mount Fuji’s iconic snowcap appeared later than ever last year, delayed until early November instead of the usual October.
The JMA reported that 2025 marked Japan’s hottest June and July since records began in 1898, with more “severe heat” expected. Global data from NOAA shows Europe and Asia warming the fastest per decade since 1990. – AFP