I’m a Japanese, and i can tell you it’s absolutely unbearable here. It’s not just the heat, it’s the humidity that makes things worse. (Edit: it’s become better after that with the rain. Thank you for your kind words. )

They should also mention the intense humidity in Japan, which basically ensures you’re constantly sweating no matter what you do. High humidity makes it feel much hotter. The heat is oppressive and inescapable, even without a heat wave.

I used to live in Death Valley, and the hottest it ever got while I was there was 122°F (50°C). It was regularly over 100° in the summertime, and everyone is always really shocked when I tell them that. Yes it's really hot and uncomfortable, but it's dry. I would much rather deal with dry heat than humid heat.

As a Japanese student, I go through torture every morning to walk up a steep hill in the hot and humid weather. It really sucks bc I sweat so much everyday and I have to buy deodorant and stuff every so often 😭 The only time I remembered excessive rain is only one or two days and apparently this is the earliest ever recorded for the rain season (aka 梅 tsuyu) to finish :( where did our rain go :(

What this article fails to mention for people coming from less humid places, if the temperature rises above 45° C, the body is absolutely depending on sweating to reduce the temperature and not overheat. But if the humidity is this high, the sweat can not dissipate and therefore not cool the body... so even fans do nothing for you if the air cannot pick up anymore moisture and therefore dissipate the sweat and cool your skin.. this is what makes this so deadly in countries with more humid weather conditions.

As a Japanese, I can tell you that temperature is literally crazy this summer. If you stand outside a minute, you’ll be like a guy who is just out of the bath.

Having been in Tokyo during the summer several times, the normal conditions are already hot. With tall buildings, very densely built areas which allows for little airflow, and air conditioners chucking out hot air onto the streets, the conditions are made even worse. The conditions are naturally very humid too, so with increased temperatures this would feel unbearable...

I went to Japan mid-summer in 2011 and got heatstroke and had to be rushed to hospital. The heat was just unbearable and I’m from Western Australia! It was the combination of high heat and high humidity that I just wasn’t used to, since it’s very dry where I’m from. Combine that with too much activity, going hot places, and little to drink, someone from our group was going to have trouble (and of course it was me 🤓).

To anyone in the comments who is there enduring this heat wave, stay safe and cool. That temperature with the humidity sounds unbearable to me.

Japanese here. My high school just decided to ban outdoor PE classes yesterday. It’s too hot to exercise. The sunlight burns our skin and the high humidity doesn't let us breathe. It wasn’t like this until 10 years ago.

My God, you'd expect these temps in Arizona or Texas where I'm from but not in Japan. I hope the heat wave passes soon, a lot of people are just not used to these temps and some can't bear them like the elderly as the video said.

During June a few years back, I went to universal studios in Osaka and it was the most uncomfortable experience ever. Waiting in line for 30-60 min in the brutal heat. Felt like death

A jacket with fan? Japan is on another level

I work as a welding robot operator and my floor was 47 degrees and we had to use protective gear (gloves, mask, aprons).

Here in Finland we had 30C weather 2 weeks ago and even that was unbearable, I can't even imagine 40C. I had to sleep on the balcony, because the houses here are made to keep heat in and not let it out. I've been to Turkey and Spain multiple times so I thought I'd be fine, but the humidity makes it feel so much worse. Also the sun barely sets here, it was only night for like 5 hours.

My visit to Tokyo back in summer 2012 remains the hottest I've ever been in my life, and I live in rural south Georgia. The only time in my life I recall it not feeling just generally really hot/humid, but sunlight actually hurting to be in. It felt like being an ant with a kid burning you with a magnifying glass. I was literally darting from shady spot to shady spot. The light felt that hot and intense.

We had a similar heat wave here on the West Coast of Canada last year that killed over 600 people in less than 1 week. Extreme heat is no joke.

The Irony of Air Conditioners to keep people cool contributes to make the world warmer, which makes people want to use Air Conditioners more.

The journalist is out there with a long sleeve shirt tucked inside long trousers when it's literally 44°C. Absolute legend.

They felt how tropical countries usually feel Hot and humid

I was there in 2018 and the Tokyo heat wave was brutal. Had to stand close to the buildings on the sidewalks to try and catch some shade, and all intersections were so crowded but still empty in the sunlight.

This reminds me of last year here in British Columbia Canada,, we had something called a heat dome which never happens in the north, it reached the same kind of temperatures and 600 hundred people died because we just don't use air conditioner here. I really feel for the people of Japan, I hope they can make it through this heat wave. My thoughts are with the people there.

Humid heat is crazier than dry heat.

Pray everyone is safe and wisdom to government, officials, ministries and workers supporting the people 🙏

Been in Japan, Tokyo, seven and a half years and I've been telling myself that it feels like the hottest summer ever and this just proves it. It's SO hot, the air feels so dense and the masks just just make it even more horrid. Like other people have said it's not just the heat, the humidity makes it even worse!! Got my air con on 24/7 because even in the night it's boiling outside.

I didn’t think 40 degrees would even be remotely possible in Japan. That’s similar to our tropical country heat.

Michigan has had pretty steady and rough humity this year, but I can't imagine surviving in 100°F+ though.

Same here in south Italy, almost 2 weeks of high temperetures ranging from 35 to 40, with humidity at 85% which makes the percepetion of heat even higher.

Visited in summer of 19, absolutely loved Japan. The heat/humidity is no joke I can hardly imagine it being hotter and sweatier that it typically is in summer.

For the 5 years of living experience in Japan, its the most terrifying summer. I almost died this Wednesday.

We just started the rainy season today 😅 I can’t believe last week I asked “Can we have rainy season please” Because it’s the most uncomfortable usually during the year here in Japan.

I thought it was hot living in the desert in Utah, but I will never say that again based on the seemingly unbearable conditions in Japan right now! The air here is so dry that you almost never sweat except for physical exertion and when sitting under a tree, the shade is enough to remain cool. Plus mountain breezes. Hoping Japan gets through this difficult heatwave 🙏

When it's this humid, I find it very difficult to breathe and sweat profusely like I'm under a running shower head.

You sure that this is the worst temperature ever recorded in japan? because if i remember... in 1945 the highest temperature was 5 million degrees

Praying for Japan 🙏😞❤️

Wow. Born and raised in the Southeast here in the US, where humidity can get pretty oppressive in the hot periods (subtropical climate). It's been rough this year too, but I can't say I've experienced something this intense yet. Maybe it's because I don't work outside. Hope they stay safe!

Yes, the heat is already at a dangerous level here in Tokyo. I cannot believe we hosted Olympic games last summer .

It was worse here in Canada last year. 40°C and only like 10% of our houses have AC. And our houses are designed to trap heat (because of our super cold winters) and that it felt like an oven

Definition of “heats waves be stressin me out”

I'm not from japan but for us It's from 45 to 47 degrees c° everyday. It must suck for people who aren't used to that heat

Along with humidity, the clean concrete mecca of Tokyo both soaks and reflects the sun’s heats, magnifying what’s felt at ground level.

We had 39C here in Osaka today, which felt like 44C due to the humidity. In my honest opinion, it wasn’t too bad, but I feel for the people who have to work outdoors for hours on end. Also, it’s definitely worrying that climate change is already having such a huge impact, and so little is being done on a collective and individual level

And yet the world still needs to listen and do something immediately.

Same here in west central Florida. July through September hotter than a firecracker and humidity you can swim in!

I lived through the "heat dome" exactly a year ago. Current number of deaths exceeds 1000. This is a MASS casualty event. Heat kills more people than other climate events, and according to people who know the effects of our climate warming, we can ALL expect heat like this to happen more often, higher temperatures, and even infrastructure buckling. Remember the airfield pavement "melting"? High humidity, even above 40% either stops or reduces perspiration being effective. Children don't have the skin surface, people over 50 can't recover quickly and those people are in the highest risk of deaths. 1000+ people dead in a matter of days, that's usually called a disaster. Tornadoes =1000 dead would call in national emergency crews, same for hurricanes, yet nothing is done in these extremely hot temperature events.

News every year: "Omg look this is a record!" No baby, this is the new normal.

This Eerily sounds like what happened in western Canada last year. Numerous elderly in Vancouver, BC died in 35 degree temperatures and Lytton, BC recorded a temperature in excess of 49 degrees.

I live near Toyota City in Aichi. I asked a neighbor about winter and snow when he was young. He said that it used to snow several times and would accumulate enough to make a big snowman. In recent years, we've had winters without snow or if it snows, it's just a centimeter or so and melts as soon as the sun rises.

I can’t imagine what life on earth will be like 50 years from now if I ever get to live that much longer

Also mass building and concrete towns in the last 100 years adds to that, city is on average 5C warmer than rural, 100 years ago there was much more rural?

Ouch. 113° For us in California is 109° to 111°

I've been to Japan in summer 2019 and it was already insanely hot and humid. God help them.

In British Columbia we had a heat dome for over a week last year. Temperatures were unbearable. Out governments need to act more on climate cooling initiatives.

I'm quite a Geography nerd and I am also really interested in Japanese culture and history but I don't speak the language so it's hard to know about these things since most English articles don't cover Japan much. I've recently found out that just a few days ago, a town called "Tokamachi" reached 37.1°C breaking a previous record of 37°C which was set in August, Japan's hottest month. This shook me because the town gets about 10 metres of snow every year. It's one of the snowiest spots in the world and they're now reaching 37°C. While everywhere in Japan reaches 30°C+ regularly, going above 32°C is surprisingly rare due to the surrounding water keeping the islands' weather stable. So, yeah. It's really really bad over in Japan Edit: I forgot to say that seeing high temperatures in July and August is a bit more normal. August is the hottest month in Japan and when most records are set. June is colder than September in Japan and that is when temperatures rarely exceed 30°C

I live in the U.K and ever since my childhood, I've always been so so grateful that we have an abundance of trees and greenery in the area that I live in. Including surrounding my flat. (outside my window). I've visited the main city a while back and couldn't breathe properly where there was heavy traffic and heat, honestly it was something new for me as I've never had trouble breathing ever.

We are in Tokyo and this past week was hell. Dreading what August and September may bring. Japan has always been hot and humid in the summer for the two decades I've been here, but never in June. This is August peak summer heat two months early. With cost of energy out of control, this summer is going to be deadly for those who cannot afford to keep cool. And that is likely a lot of people. I hope we can all manage this summer safely. Missing the gloom and cool days of Seattle.

Remember, this is only what 1.1 degree is capable so far.

I live near the coast in Texas and just about a week ago, our temperatures were around 104~ as well, but with the humidity the real feel went up to 113+. The heat and humidity was so insane I felt like I could barely breathe walking outside 😭 I hope the heat wave passes for Japan!

It's really different this year here. Even if it's night time and my aircon and my electric fan are both on , but I am still sweating alot😢

People of Japan my heart goes out to you. Make sure you drink water regularly and wet your face and head, stay in the shade...mainly keep your fluids up. Sending prayers from Australia ❤

In Australia we go up to 47C in summer but we do not have the same humidity as Japan, our heatwaves only last a few days and the the evenings are usually much cooler than the days. 40C in Japan feels more like 50C in Australia, North America and Europe and the heat lingers for weeks with very little respite in the evenings. When I was living in Japan, i wouldn't even go outside when the heat was above 36C, The only escape from the muggy heat is to use aircon or climb a mountain as it is much cooler when you are about 700+ meters above sea level.

stop in ireland we haven't even seen summer yet 🤣 just sitting here watching the rain all day 🤣

We had hotter and drier conditions for June here in Mississippi too. It’s usually rainy as well but we are also in a drought now. Hopefully the tropics bring some rain soon.

i went to Japan back in August 2019 and it was around 32 degrees then and even i found that unbearable. can't imagine how hot it is there, workers are boiling and could possibly suffer a heatstroke as well as normal citizens, its dangerous.

i m a japanese. This humidity is high. very stifling🥵

Last year in western Oregon it was 117°F or 47°C it was the hottest temperature ever recorded in the city I live in.

We've been having these temperatures here in Dallas and that's without the heat index in other words without factoring in the humidity . What most people have central air conditioning or some kind of air conditioners in their home here .

I’m freaking dying from heat. Like a ton of people are literally dying right now.

...meanwhile in Australia we are suffering an early winter, with freezing rain.

The same thing happened here on the west coast of Canada just under a year ago (I think under, just about). It was horrific because of the heat and humidity combined. We didn’t have AC as we only moved to BC a couple months before and AC isn’t built into homes here so we experienced the worst of it. I wish it on no one.

Yeah heatwaves will be a constant thing everywhere. Im german and we had an unusual heatwave 2 weeks ago with temperatures up to 40 degree Celsius. Now weather constantly changes between hot days and rainy days with temperatures about 30 degrees. Weather went completely nuts.

Oh, here we go

Heat+humid+no wind= nightmare 🤧

I'm in Japan now. It's also very hot because there is a serious lack of greenspace in the cities. Just glass, concrete and steel which give off more heat, not to mention all the traffic, trains and there is too many people everywhere. This place is doomed. AND! everyone is still wearing masks, even out in this heat... They are crazy here

Here in tropical North Queensland, Australia it's raining in the dry season, record cold recorded all over and truly terrible flooding AGAIN with tens of thousands evacuated

I visited in May 2019 and it was absolutely boiling hot the whole visit. I can't imagine it being 40+ that would be a total nightmare. Poor japan

A 24 year old delivery guy collapsed and died from the heat here in the states too 😩.

I actually can’t even imagine, I’ve only ever had 3heat waves, 2 in Arizona, 1 in Nevada. I can tell you, it’s not fun, but the added humidity, and whatnot…wow.

Heel en Heel veel sterkte gewenst lovely mensen. Greeting from The Netherlands 🌷🌷💞💞🌷🌷

Just keep drinking lots of water and don't over exhaust yourselves..our hearts go out to you ♥

If only we had been warned that these sorts of things would happen 🤔

I work at a construction site: it’s hell on earth lol. Just going outside and doing basic tasks make you sweat like crazy ( I don’t sweat much usually but am sweating buckets) We should stop construction work once it hits 32degrees or so

40° Celsius is pretty common in the Philippines during summer months

I am Italian and I feel your pain as the heat wave mixed with humidity makes it even worse. We have to work harder to stop man-made climate change before it's too late

The heat has killed our energy and physical strength.I'm live in Hyogo prefacture in Japan,actually there have not 44 degree but sensible temperature aroud japanese other prefactures are as hot as that.

Louisiana here, stormy clouds and rain are becoming a blessing because it's not the heat it's the humidity. It's nice to get fresh outside air but it's not comfortable to be in...

I experienced this a few years ago and it felt like going inside a car at noon, with the only difference is that you cannot escape.

We were wondering where our las vegas heat went to, it's been very mild this June

It is outside labourers that I worry for the most, and with the intense humidity in Japan, the body cannot function properly for long in those conditions

They had this heatwave last year during the olympics. But it is hot hot there. Cant wait to visit one day

In Arizona 110 is pretty normal but we have no humidity.. I was hoping to take a trip to Japan, I wonder how I’ll get adjusted to it

I was getting out my office yesterday, at 17:00, and it was a "feels like 41oC", dude, it is so hot! The humidity makes like a big opened sauna everywhere you walk outside here in Japan. Even though I'm originally from a Brazilian city where is summer during all year, I've never experienced a hot season like this so early. If you're staying at home, you have to use air conditioning all day long, otherwise you may literally die of heatstroke...

I don't imagine for one minute, that having a mask strapped to your face is helping matters.

and just came through a terrible winter so....

I've been to Indonesia Thailand and Philippines during their summer oh it's like 40 plus degrees and they're like oh yeah it's sunny. They're amazing how they can bear the heat. I was really collapsing yet they're all okay. People from the tropics can survive very well. Us up north we'll die because of heat.

The guy wears a jacket in 40 degree heat cos its got fans in it? I've seen it all.

And I’m watching this in a tiny studio apartment in Tokyo now. It’s Saturday, and it’s 6 o’clock in the morning, but I want to turn on the air-conditioner already.

come to oklahoma... With humidity, it normally skyrockets to 104F+(40C) and stays that way for a week or more. This year is going to be horrible..

I live in the Fraser Valley in British Columbia Canada and last year we had a similar heatwave. I was working at the Covid19 Testing and Vaccination Center and I was directing traffic on the black asphalt with no shade and the temperature hit 53 degrees Celsius! Seeing I usually work as a safety officer on construction sites I had the place shut down after 4 hours. I usually worked 12 hour days 5 days a week! It was brutal. I feel for those poor people over there. That is horrible. I hope relief comes soon. So far this year it hasn't been hot at all. But last winter was much worse than normal. Snowed in for almost 2 months! Every year the planet seems to get crazier and crazier!

Whenever we talk about the heat we should include the fact that it's going to keep getting worse. Count on it. Plan for it.