Six people have died of heatstroke in Tokyo since Saturday. Japan has experienced a rare heatwave during the rainy season, which has prompted authorities to issue several warnings.
Over the weekend, the Shizuoka region became the first region in Japan to reach 40 degrees this year, several degrees above the threshold of 35 degrees that weather authorities classify as "extremely hot".
Such heat in the middle of Japan's rainy season is unusual and is partly caused by a strong high-pressure system in the southern Pacific Ocean.
On Monday, it was nearly 40 degrees in several parts of the country, including Tokyo, according to local media.
75-year-old Tokyo resident Sumiko Yamamoto thinks it has become dramatically hotter since last year.
Without air conditioning, it's hard to survive. Through the advice we've received on TV, I'm trying to drink as much water as possible. Since I'm old, I'm being careful not to collapse, she tells AFP.
In recent days, authorities have issued heat warnings for large parts of the country. Among other things, residents are being urged to avoid exercising outdoors and to use air conditioning.
Heat-related deaths are particularly high in Japan since the country has one of the oldest populations in the world. Around 1,500 people die each year in the country from heat-related deaths, according to the Japanese Association for Acute Medicine.
