4 days ago
Study finds 213 deaths in Tokyo apparently caused by improper A/C use
TOKYO -- There were 213 cases of deaths in the Japanese capital's 23 wards that were believed to have been caused by the improper use of air conditioners, according to joint research by the University of Tokyo Graduate School of Medicine and the Tokyo Metropolitan Medical Examiner's Office.
Around 80% of these cases involved people living alone or elderly households. Some deaths are reportedly believed to have been caused by the air conditioner being set to "heating" instead of "cooling," or the remote control running out of batteries.
The interim report of the collaborative study on heatstroke examined 1,447 cases between January 2013 and September 2023 in which heat or related factors were suspected to have contributed to the cause of death.
According to the report, the deaths were concentrated between June and August. There were 30 to 35 such cases in 2016 and 2017, but that number rose to 250 in 2020 and 258 in 2022. A researcher said the figure "reflects the recent rise in temperatures, and the number of deaths has remained high."
Air conditioners were turned off in more than 40% of the 1,295 cases that occurred indoors, excluding cases in which people passed away in saunas or during work. Some deaths were also caused by machine failure and malfunctions, including cases where the air conditioners were running but had been set incorrectly, or were clogged with dust which prevented airflow.
The report recommends preventive measures such as replacing remote control batteries in advance and cleaning air conditioner filters. It also urges people to visit any elderly family members living alone to ensure their air conditioners are functioning properly.
