Water shortages hitting regions around Japan
The Japan Meteorological Agency says the amount of rain in July was 13 percent of the average along the Sea of Japan coast in the Tohoku region, and 8 percent in the Hokuriku region and Niigata Prefecture. Both figures are record lows.
Authorities of Myoko City in the prefecture are calling on residents to reduce water consumption by 25 percent. Three sports facilities in the area temporarily suspended the use of swimming pools from Monday.
At a dam supplying agricultural water in Niigata, the storage rate dropped to zero percent on Monday.
According to the land ministry, nine rivers in Hokkaido and five other prefectures are restricting water intake for agricultural use and reducing water supply.
The combination of heat and little rain has led to growing concern about this year's rice crop.
At a paddy in Tozawa Village, Yamagata Prefecture, the water shortage has caused the ground to crack and rice plants to wither from their roots.
Farmers in other regions are also voicing concern about the size of their harvests.
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NHK
10 hours ago
- NHK
Water shortages hitting regions around Japan
Japan has marked a temperature of over 40 degrees Celsius for the fifth time this summer, and a lack of rainfall across the country is affecting people's lives. The Japan Meteorological Agency says the amount of rain in July was 13 percent of the average along the Sea of Japan coast in the Tohoku region, and 8 percent in the Hokuriku region and Niigata Prefecture. Both figures are record lows. Authorities of Myoko City in the prefecture are calling on residents to reduce water consumption by 25 percent. Three sports facilities in the area temporarily suspended the use of swimming pools from Monday. At a dam supplying agricultural water in Niigata, the storage rate dropped to zero percent on Monday. According to the land ministry, nine rivers in Hokkaido and five other prefectures are restricting water intake for agricultural use and reducing water supply. The combination of heat and little rain has led to growing concern about this year's rice crop. At a paddy in Tozawa Village, Yamagata Prefecture, the water shortage has caused the ground to crack and rice plants to wither from their roots. Farmers in other regions are also voicing concern about the size of their harvests.
Japan Today
12 hours ago
- Japan Today
17 heat records broken in Japan
Heatwaves are becoming more intense and frequent worldwide because of human-caused climate change, scientists say, and Japan is no exception Seventeen heat records were broken in Japan on Monday, the weather agency said, after the country sweltered through its hottest ever June and July. Heatwaves are becoming more intense and frequent worldwide because of human-caused climate change, scientists say, and Japan is no exception. The city of Komatsu in Ishikawa Prefecture saw a new record of 40.3 degrees Celsius on Monday, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said. Toyama city in Toyama Prefecture, also in the central region, hit 39.8C, the highest temperature since records began, according to the JMA. Fifteen other locations across cities and towns soared to new highs between 35.7C and 39.8C, added the JMA, which monitors temperatures at more than 900 points in Japan. On July 30, Japan experienced its highest recorded temperature, a sizzling 41.2C in the western region of Hyogo. The rainy season ended about three weeks earlier than usual in western regions of Japan, another record. With low levels of rainfall and heat, several dams in the northern region were almost empty, the land ministry said, with farmers worried that a water shortage and extreme heat could result in a poor harvest. Experts warn Japan's beloved cherry trees are blooming earlier due to the warmer climate, or sometimes not fully blossoming because autumns and winters are not cold enough to trigger flowering. The famous snowcap of Mount Fuji was absent for the longest recorded period last year, not appearing until early November, compared with the average of early October. Japan this year had its hottest June and July since data collection began in 1898, with the weather agency warning of further "severe heat" in the months ahead. The speed of temperature increases across the world is not uniform. Of the continents, Europe has seen the fastest warming per decade since 1990, followed closely by Asia, according to global data from the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). © 2025 AFP
Japan Times
a day ago
- Japan Times
Extreme heat in Japan set to peak this week
A heat wave gripping the nation is expected to continue this week and could hit its peak over the next several days. Human-induced climate change has sent the mercury rising, particularly in the Hokuriku region facing the Sea of Japan, where temperatures exceeding 38 degrees Celsius were recorded in many areas on Monday. On the same day, the Meteorological Agency issued an alert for heatstroke in 36 prefectures. At 1:40 p.m., the city of Komatsu in Ishikawa Prefecture recorded the highest temperature of 40.3 C, followed by the city of Toyama, where the mercury hit 39.8 C. A temperature of 39.2 C was recorded in the cities of Mima, in Tokushima Prefecture, and Sakai, in Fukui Prefecture. Monday's temperatures followed a heat wave between July 30 and Aug. 2, which saw at least one region experience dangerous heat that surpassed 40 C over four consecutive days — the first time in 13 years that this had happened. Last Wednesday, the city of Tamba in Hyogo Prefecture experienced Japan's highest temperature ever of 41.2 C . The high temperatures are expected to persist throughout the country over the next couple of days, though rain forecast for various regions across the country from Thursday could lead to cooler days toward the end of the week. Amid the sustained high temperatures, people are advised to take measures to prevent heatstroke, including making sure that those most susceptible to it — such as children and elderly people — stay in cool environments with air conditioning and for event organizers to make sure that participants take precautions. The Meteorological Agency advises that events be canceled in view of heat or for them to be postponed to a later date. If either option is unavailable, the agency recommends that events be transitioned online instead. A total of 17,229 people were taken to hospital with symptoms of heatstroke in June, according to the most recent data from the internal affairs ministry. This is the highest number ever in a single month, according to data that dates back to 2010. Of the total, 26 people died, while 324 others suffered severe cases of heatstroke. Elderly people made up the largest proportion of the number, with 60% of those taken to hospital being over the age of 65. Although the total number for July is yet to be released, it is evident that numbers are increasing as temperatures across the country continue to rise. In the week through Sunday alone, a total of 10,804 people were taken to hospital, of whom 16 died.
