By SHOKO RIKIMARU/ Staff Writer
July 2, 2025 at 14:24 JST
Visitors to the Osaka Kansai Expo use sun umbrellas and handheld fans to avoid the intense heat on June 27. (Hiyori Uchiumi)
Following an unseasonably intense heat wave, last month was officially declared the country's hottest June since record-keeping began in 1898, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.
The nationwide average temperature for the month was 2.34 degrees higher than a typical year, surpassing the previous record set in 2020 by a significant margin, the ageny announced on July 1.
Five years ago, the figure for June was 1.43 degrees higher than usual.
The extreme heat is attributed to the northward shift of westerly winds and a strong Pacific high-pressure system that created atmospheric conditions more typical of July or August across much of the country.
Clear skies dominated the Pacific side of Japan, contributing to widespread high temperatures throughout the month.
The heat was particularly intense in the latter half of the month. Beginning around June 16, warm air masses from the south swept over the archipelago and brought a stretch of days with temperatures exceeding 35 degrees.
Notable highs included 38.2 degrees in Kofu and 37.8 degrees in Fukuchiyama, Kyoto Prefecture.
Of the 914 locations monitored by the JMA, 196 sites broke their June temperature records.
Forecasters warn that the oppressive heat is likely to continue into the new month—120 locations across the country hit temperatures of 35 degrees or higher on July 1.
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