Japan, South Korea Issue Alerts Amid Historic Temperature Highs: 'Not A One-Off Anomaly'

Last Updated:July 31, 2025, 18:44 IST

Japan and South Korea are facing record heatwaves with authorities urging citizens to stay indoors.

Japan recorded its hottest day in history, with the mercury soaring to 41.2°C in Tamba.

Authorities in Japan and South Korea issued urgent warnings as record-breaking heatwaves sweep across the region, pushing hospitals to capacity, claiming dozens of lives and setting new temperature milestones with alarming frequency.

On Wednesday, Japan recorded its hottest day in history, with the mercury soaring to 41.2°C in Tamba, located in the western Hyogo prefecture. At least 16 people have died across the country due to heat-related causes in the past week while over 10,800 individuals, more than half of them over 64, have been hospitalized, according to Japan’s Fire and Disaster Management Agency.

In South Korea, the capital Seoul endured 22 consecutive “tropical nights"- a phenomenon where overnight temperatures remain above 25°C- marking the longest such streak since records began in 1907. The lowest temperature in Seoul on Wednesday was 29.3°C, making it the hottest July night on record for the city.

Authorities Sound Alarm

With no immediate relief in sight, meteorological agencies in both countries are urging citizens to stay indoors, use air conditioning and keep hydrated.

“Normally, if it’s hot for just a day, temperatures spike and then quickly return to normal," Youn Ki-han, director of Seoul’s meteorology forecast division, said, adding, “But when warm conditions persist for several days, the heat doesn’t fully dissipate- it lingers and accumulates with each day." The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) reported 13 heat-related deaths so far this year- triple the number during the same period in 2024.

Japan Breaks Dozens Of Temperature Records

Japan’s Meteorological Agency said 271 of its 914 observation points recorded temperatures over 35°C on Wednesday, with 39 locations setting new all-time highs. The country’s previous national record of 41.1°C was eclipsed in Tamba, overtaking the highs seen in Hamamatsu (2020) and Kumagaya (2018).

Last year was Japan’s joint hottest summer on record and this year is already shaping up to be just as extreme as scientists warned that climate change is amplifying the frequency and intensity of heatwaves across East Asia. A climate researcher at the University of Tokyo said, “Each new record heat event chips away at public health, infrastructure, and ecosystems. What we’re seeing now is not a one-off anomaly- it’s part of a dangerous, accelerating trend."

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Japan

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News world Japan, South Korea Issue Alerts Amid Historic Temperature Highs: 'Not A One-Off Anomaly'

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