By SHUN NIEKAWA/ Staff Writer
May 26, 2025 at 15:51 JST
New health ministry statistics indicate many deaths took place from heatstroke in Japan in early summer, underscoring the serious risk even before July and August's peak temperatures.
The total number of deaths recorded in June between 2015 and 2024 is 564. This is close to matching the cumulative 580 deaths logged across the entirety of the 1980s.
While data for 2024 is still provisional, the latest health ministry data found at least 12,475 people died from heatstroke in the last decade, including those 564 victims.
Experts point to rising temperatures as a key factor behind the increase in early summer fatalities.
Environment Ministry officials warn that the human body requires several days to adjust to hot environments. People are especially vulnerable during this acclimation period, particularly if they are sleep-deprived or engage in behavior that raises the risk of heatstroke.
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