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© 2025 AFPHeatstroke alerts issued in Japan as temperatures surge
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sakurasuki
Who can't turn on the air conditioning because the price increase in Japan? Elders that only living on fixed pension money.
https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14970236
https://apnews.com/article/japan-heatstroke-death-elderly-5027f720692101bef9b787e6ae14312a
tora
The media harps on about how hot and humid it is year after year. Meanwhile Japan just keeps on laying down more concrete and removing the trees.
Mr Kipling
Its Japan, its summer. Yes it gets hot....every year.
Who have had all their lives to prepare for their old age but some just chose not to.
Jay
Here we go again, every year like clockwork: “Heatstroke cases surge,” “Emergency rooms overwhelmed,” and somehow people STILL still act like drinking a basic, life-sustaining liquid is some unfathomable task!
How hard is it to drink the proper amount of water? Seriously. Meanwhile, the average Hanako Specimen clutches a 500ml PET bottle like it’s a luxury item from a boutique hydration store, sipping it once every fiscal quarter. Meanwhile, the Taro Citizens are often so terrified that if they drink too much, they’ll - gasp - have to pee, which might cut into their sacred Excel time and damage productivity levels.
Something seriously needs to change, these people can’t keep pretending dehydration is a cultural tradition. And no, chugging canned coffee and oolong tea all day isn’t the answer - caffeine just dehydrates you more.
WhatsAllThisThen
One of the reasons I moved to Japan is because I had heard that Japanese respect Nature. Starting to have my ddoubts. Or maybe it's just really poor city planning. You'd think the Japanese would excel at merging urban spaces with nature.
KazukoHarmony
Hard to imagine how the mentioned 78-year-old woman living off “64,000 yen a month in public pension benefits and a livelihood assistance of a little more than 1,000 yen” survives in this oppressive summer heat without A/C.
GuruMick
Posters here must all live in cities.
Where I live it looks like "Kongs Island "....just full of forest, and little rivers and bays for swimming.
Still gets hot, but there is relief.
Stop complaining and move to cooler mountain areas.
sakurasuki
@Jay
Is not that as simple drinking water but also maintaining body temperature of inner body core. This kind of regulation usually is not that good anymore for older people, those old people won't even feel the heat until their body completely shutdown.
https://taking.care/blogs/resources-advice/normal-temperature-for-elderly
.
So maintaining environment temperature with air conditioning is critical for those elders, not only pet bottle to keep them hydrated.
Jay
Blah blah blah... proper hydration is the single BIGGEST factor in thermoregulation. Your body can’t cool itself without enough water - no sweating, no evaporation, no heat release. When you’re dehydrated, your internal “AC system” starts failing FAST, especially in older adults whose sense of thirst is already dulled.
And Sakura, why tiptoe around one of the most glaring, fixable problems: the chronic dehydration of the people? You can critique Japan all day, but if you can’t even call out the national aversion to basic hydration - especially in the middle of killer heatwaves - then it's all just performative.
koiwaicoffee
Such a cruel comment, you may believe that everyone has had a life as easy as yours.
KazukoHarmony
GuruMick
Completely out of touch.
Would likely be impossible for an elderly person living off ¥65,000 a month to move. They can’t afford A/C, and you’re suggesting they take on moving expenses!?
kurisupisu
No shade in Tokyo?
No wonder why that is.,,
virusrex
At extremely high temperatures with lots of humidity in the air? not at all, it does not matter how much water people would drink if the sweat is not evaporating enough to compensate, specially for older people. Pretending drinking more water would make people immune to heatstroke is deeply flawed and can put people in danger, it is the huge difference between something being necessary and being sufficient.
rainyday
A) its still spring.
B) the daytime high today where I am is 9 degrees hotter than normal (37) for this time of year (28].
sakurasuki
@Jay
Can your "Blah blah blah" really backed by science and fact? Thermoregulation is different for each age group, so it doesn't matter how hydrated the elders, the proper treatment for them to avoid extreme heat environment in the first place.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8359204/
https://www.allure.com/story/why-do-you-sweat-less-with-age
Jay
Completely false. What is being said, backed by actual science, is that proper hydration is critically necessary for your body’s heat-regulating systems to even function in the first place. No water? No sweat. No sweat? No cooling. It’s that simple. Are you following along so far?
And guess what - dehydration completely shuts down the cooling system, regardless of the weather. Especially in older people, who already have a diminished thirst response, not drinking enough water is like turning off the engine before the uphill climb.
Saying “it doesn’t matter how much water you drink” in humid heat is like saying seatbelts don’t matter in a car crash because some people still get injured. It’s a ridiculous, dangerous leap, and you’re the one putting people at risk by downplaying the most preventable factor.
So sorry, you're completely wrong yet again, hydration IS the foundation of survival in the heat. Ignore it, and your body’s not even in the fight.
Toshihiro
I'm Southeast Asian, and it always perplexes me how the Japanese today don't seem to adapt themselves to summer. Yes, summers are getting more brutal, but you can still do some things that will make your life less miserable in the heat. First, dress light. Maybe only wear that coat and tie while at the office and just commute to work in your shirt. I've seen too many salarymen sweat like crazy during the summer while wearing their suits. Don't punish yourself, dress down. Second, get personal cooling devices. An insulated bottle of ice-cold water at your side along with a small cooling fan does wonders. Personally, the cooling fans that look like jet turbines work best! Third, shower in the morning. A lot of Japanese don't shower in the morning. If you have a wash first thing, you'll cool yourself down. Fourth, cut back on the hot drinks in the heat of the day. Don't make yourself warmer by drinking hot drinks. Last, sleep with less padding. That fluffy futon feels cozy during the colder months but would feel stifling during summer.
WoodyLee
May be what we need is a Face Mask Usage Alert!!!
34c with scorching sun and people dresses in black are walking, riding bicycles, driving alone, and drinking their summer drinks with there lovely facemasks on.
The_Beagle
Summer is hot.
virusrex
Ignoring something do not make it false, but thinking so is precisely why people die of heatstroke, having wrong conceptions based on ignorance not science.
https://www.uclahealth.org/news/article/hydration-only-one-factor-critical-heat-safety
Although staying properly hydrated is crucial to preventing heat-related illness, it is not the only factor in staying safe. A number of other important variables are involved. These include outdoor temperature, humidity, sunlight, activity level, age and general health. Understanding that each of these play a role can be the difference between an enjoyable outing and a tragedy.
Again, you are still confused between something being necessary and being sufficient, drinking water is necessary to prevent heathstroke, but it is not sufficient.
No, it is like saying that seatbelts are not enough to prevent all kinds of injuries and deaths, and other measures (including driving with proper care, choosing an appropiate vehicle, etc.) are still necessary.
So, before trying to say the experts are wrong because they contradict you, it is much more productive to first get proper information before trying to impose personal beliefs that can put people in danger.
nickybutt
Summer is hot! Summer is the time that I like to work most. The airconditioning and the water cooler make me glad to be at work. I spend as little time outside as possible. I recommend buying a massive sun umbrella when one must venture outide, they really make a difference!
Yrral
Tokyo is not hot as Phoenix,it get 120 F
Newgirlintown
A few people playing this down with the old ‘it’s hot every summer’ line. But it’s the fact it’s getting hotter, isn’t it. Look at the data, guys.
John-San
Yeah and winter is cold. I spent the summer in the southern hemisphere and it was a mild summer were we didn't utilise the Air con. 38 degrees south of the equator. About the as Tokyo. it did not get above 38c all summer. It was a very comfortable weather. I spent last summer in Iwate again very comfortable weather and never got above 36c. I enjoy these mild summer in Japan. 35c to 40c is the perfect temperature for me. But once it over 40c it bearable and utilise the air con. It been a few yeas since I live out a full winter but the last time I did some day were cold as 12c. and it awful. Funny but I live in the North alp in Otari were it was often below 0c but not uncomfortable like the 12c back home. I am spending another summer in Iwate and it been very mild so far with the old 30c so I will enjoy this warmer weather and get about on long hikes in the mountains of Iwate and Akita.
GuruMick
Jay...agree with the water intake IF you are a healthy person.
People with illnesses like heart disease, are restricted to around 1000 mils per day.
Thats not much.
Given Japans elderly population, I can imagine lots are on water intake restrictions.
Need multi pronged solutions of which water is one prong.
Stay indoors for the elderly and stop and rest for everyone else.
John-San
Good to see JT using the correct terminology for heat exposure " heat-related malaise" compared to the slang term of heatstroke. Remember for those who find this weather difficult. Replace the salts that you loss and keep drinking plenty of water. Both are advised by medical experts. Salts are similar to electrolytes but salt is a great substitute if you find these electrolytes drink to expensive.
commanteer
This is such a common misconception. Coffee does not dehydrate you - in fact, if you need hydrating coffee can save your life almost as well as water. The caffeine in coffee in diuretic, and this seems to cause the confusion. It will cause you to urinate a little more, but that is far outweighed by the hydration effects of the coffee itself, which is almost entirely water. So if you are thirsty, have a nice iced coffee - it works in the hottest parts of Vietnam - it will work anywhere.
The_Beagle
What does increased tourism have to do with summer weather. Is it something to do with greedy rice-gobbling foreigners?
Garlic eater
The problem is, the government (or NHK) oversimplifies the message so that as many people as possible can understand it, meaning it gets reduced to 2 or 3 simple instructions like "turn on your air con" and "drink water". As some have said, there is a lot more you can do, like carry around a bottle of frozen liquid and so forth.
If you really want to cut costs, a good idea is to get a container of ice and stick a coil of thermal conducting material (copper or aluminum) in it, and put a fan behind that to blow air through it.
fallaffel
So, I take it you don't need to ever use AC, because you can simply chug some more H2O instead. Otherwise, you must not be drinking enough.
Negative Nancy
Not my favorite season, and it seems to be getting longer each year. Take care to drink before you're thirsty, and allow yourself more time to do things.
I agree with an earlier commenter- no need for the last few sentences of the article. Foreign tourists don't need to be mentioned in every article.
Mr Kipling
Not cruel, just honest and factual. Getting old is the one guarantee in life unless you die. To not prepare for it is just reckless. So sorry not a lot of sympathy.
itsonlyrocknroll
Over 97,500 people needing emergency transportation and 2,033 heat-related deaths between May and September 2024..... nippon.com
I walk my dogs everly in the morning/late in the evening. I carry a parasol.
Garlic eater
I bet the "treatment" was to give them water and leave them in a cool room for a while, or something very similar.
HopeSpringsEternal
Humidity is tough, so be sure to stay hydrated!
wallace
The hospitals put them on drips.
Cephus
Rule#1 drink water, Rule#2 drink some water Rule#3 same as 1 & 2.
John-San
Wallace it call a saline drip,
A saline drip, also known as normal saline infusion, is a common medical treatment that delivers a solution of sterile water and sodium chloride (salt) directly into a patient's bloodstream via an intravenous (IV) line. It's primarily used for hydration, electrolyte replacement,
BB
That sounds fantastic!
Jerry
Ha Long Bay, Vietnam?
Nihon Tora
I remember visiting Melbourne and walking around there all day in the pleasant, warm sunshine. I was then amazed to learn that the temperature had been over 40 degrees that day. A typical summer day in Tokyo maybe around 33 degrees but it’s absolutely horrendous - there’s more to it than just the temperature - humidity, the stillness of the air etc. I’m not sure what it is, but Japan in the summer is just so uncomfortable like almost nowhere else I’ve been.
tora
It's the exact opposite. Around many urban areas at this time of year thousands of bird perch on the few remaining trees (many just outside train stations in parking areas). To scare off the happily chirping creatures, authorities have attached loudspeakers wired with batteries to the trees that output an obnoxious high decibel AI generated chirp about once a minute. But the other day I noticed that the birds seem to have gotten used to the sounds and still congregate in the few remaining trees and even chirp away in between the machine generated noise as if to give the finger at the attempt to disperse them.
No doubt, the next step will just get rid of the few remaining trees altogether and just concrete the space over and be done with it. Taking the heat island effect to the next level.
virusrex
This not only insufficient for people to avoid having troubles because of the heat, it could also cause extra ones like water-electrolyte imbalance. It is much better to avoid the heat as much as possible, dress lightly, stop vigorous excercise, etc. instead of just drinking lots of water.
SarcasmOnly
Eradicating all the trees around Jingumae doesn’t help. But who cares? Koike surely did/does not.
Jay
Thanks for waving around a UCLA article that literally supports the core point I'm making: hydration is absolutely 100% crucial. Yes, your own copy'N'paste job reinforces the fact that hydration is the first and most important line of defense!
But no, instead of addressing real science, it again looks like you're cherry-picking a sentence, all while people are out here thinking one can of iced coffee and a senbei is enough to survive 36°C with 80% humidity.
Thinking that downplaying hydration makes you sound nuanced doesn’t make your advice informed - it actually makes it dangerous.
virusrex
No, it does not instead it explicitly contradicts the claim you made that hydration was the one and only thing to take care, as the quoted text clearly proves:
*Although staying properly hydrated is crucial to preventing heat-related illness, *it is not the only factor in staying safe
Your claim was that this was enough to guarantee being safe, which is still completely wrong, it is still not a condition sufficient to be safe from problems by extreme heat, that claim you made is still wrong, mistaken and dangerous.
Experts that actually care for patients are a much more reliable source of information than nameless people on the internet that were clearly proved wrong. Telling people that hydration is enough is what is actually dangerous.
Kaowaiinekochanknaw
It's quite pleasant in the shade. When you can find some.
Shade and water are important anywhere that has a summer.
Treesless concrete places, like Tokyo or other urban cities around the world, even more so.
My area cut down hundreds of trees last year. Not sure why.
Maybe so people will feel it's hotter and pay more taxes for the Gov to save them?
Jay
What was said - and what the article explicitly supports - is that hydration is a 100% **necessary baseline, without which your body cannot regulate heat at all. If you’re not hydrated, your cooling system fails - full stop**. You are deliberately downplaying that which, as usual, is irresponsible and dangerous advice.
But what’s more interesting is how you always seem to land on the side that benefits profit-driven institutions. Pharmaceutical conglomerates over natural, often more effective treatments. Big Food's overpriced, sugar-laced “electrolyte drinks” over FREE water. Biological men competing women’s sports? You side with that too - over logic, fairness, and basic biology.
It’s like your default setting is defending the elite-approved narrative, no matter how absurd. So tell us: why? Because from where we’re standing, it looks less like concern for facts and more like running cover for the establishment - at the expense of both truth and common sense.
virusrex
And what you said, and it is 100% wrong is that hydration is sufficient to regulate heat, that is what I corrected you about and you keep saying it is not incorrect even when a reference clearly and unequivocally contradicted you.
What "profit-driven institutions" benefit from telling people that they should not just drink water but avoid activity, seek shade and preferably remain in a cool environment? is there a "big-shade" conspiracy that you also believe in?
I have not even once mentioned electrolyte drinks, this is just another false claim you are making to avoid recognizing the proven fact that telling people they will be fine as long as they drink water is a terribly bad advice and that many other things are necessary to avoid problems because of excessive heat.
Cephus
"This not only insufficient for people to avoid having troubles because of the heat, it could also cause extra ones like water-electrolyte imbalance. It is much better to avoid the heat as much as possible, dress lightly, stop vigorous excercise, etc. instead of just drinking lots of water."
I have noticed many senior citizens don't drink enough water though what people wear in hot days is plain common sense.
virusrex
But even if they do, if they keep having vigorous physical activity under the sun that would still mean they are very susceptible to heatstroke. And worse, if they keep doing this while drinking water they also become more likely to complicate because of electrolyte imbalance. So the correct advice is not only to hydrate but to rest in a cool place.
2 Year Old
And the “prune back trees to a match STICK” crews were out in force in Chūō-ku Tokyo this week. (Later than usual as they seem to have less staff, who look mostly over 60). And they were doing it in 34C temps and looked exhausted wearing thick heavy clothing head to toe. (More heat stroke victims perhaps)
Pruning back very leafy trees, that did provide large areas of shade to something that provides basically no shade. You can feel the concrete radiating heat back at your legs at 60C…
You can’t blame pensioners for doing what the government and companies told them to do their whole life, work and don’t complain and we will take care of your retirement with your forced pension plan payments and NO other alternatives available in Japan’s century old style of banking.
You have to a be a fool to say “move to the mountains” when pensioners in rural areas are dying from lack of services and no public transport etc in soon to be ghost towns.
Yes they need to drink more water and do not dress in thick black clothes from head to toe when outside in direct sunlight.
And don’t just start cleaning the pools this week, ready for a July 15th opening. It is not 1960 anymore.
The masses of old people in the public housing surrounding this pool I saw would have loved a dip, and social meet ups for the past month!
Need a culture change.thinkbefore
Japanese need to 1. take a cold shower in the morning 2. Drink cold drinks not hot drinks during the day. I recommend drinking 2 to 3 liters of water a day. 3. Try to avoid eating hot foods like ramen and opt for cold foods like soba noodles and try to eat more fruit. These tips will go a long way in preventing heatstroke.
falseflagsteve
Phew! What a scorcher. Ain’t half hot round here today. I’m not going out until the sun goes down a bit.
Mark
This article has nothing to do with pensions.
commanteer
Wisdom will come to you someday. Maybe not in this life, but someday.
GuruMick
I am leaving Japan soon.....so where is "Kongs Island "?
2 hours south of Tokyo on the Southern point of Izu peninsula, the Kong bit, mainly on the west Matsuzaki side
Get a train from Tokyo, hire a car, run down all the little roads leading to the coast.
Monkeys, deer etc.
Good swimming , surfing if you know the conditions , clear water for skin diving....meet interesting people looking for new things.
I wouldnt disclose but I am dying from heart failure and soon to shuffle of my mortal coil.
Enjoy.
Blacksamurai
The basic problem of heatstroke in the Japanese summer is down to the humidity. Clear heat in other countries with higher summer temperatures is more bearable than 30 degrees plus with humidity. Throw in the lack of vegetation in many city wards and the overly abundant concrete in those same places and Japan's cities can throw up dangerous walls of heat. Summer's especially dangerous for silver citizens.
The silver citizens tend to be way more frugal than younger generations if they are not part of the affluent classes or living with family who run the cooling methods in the house. They were raised not to be wasteful and the increasing power bills mean that a lot of these elderly tend to to not use an aircon - if they have one. Some don't even use a fan because they're worried about power costs.
The community centers for the elderly do a good job of providing information and a welcoming atmosphere but they need to be more pro active in summer. Drinks like Pocari Sweat could be distributed for free and the elderly given special energy discounts in programs run by local city halls in collaboration with power companies.
GreenPeas
@GuruMick
something different to consider if you've run out of options. From the 13 min mark, or thereabouts.
https://old.bitchute.com/video/cHbjOJYzHMB2/
Mr Kipling
Sadly, too late for the oldies who knew what the state pension pays, its not a secret, and couldn't be bothered to save a few pennies while they could.
falseflagsteve
Mr Kipling
lot of them blowed all their dough at pachinko you see.
Ryokai
A lot of these comments miss the fact that you need to be drinking electrolytes/salts as well to beat the heat, water isn’t enough. Aircon is also important, in fact a lot of elderly residents in Japan just take themselves to the local airconditioned shopping centres to beat the heat, particularly if they can’t afford aircon at home and if they can endure the walk outside.