Japan records its first ‘cruelly hot day’ as cities swelter in 40-degree heat

Core point

Japan's meteorological agency introduced the term kokushobi to alert the public about extreme heat dangers. The first official kokushobi day was recorded when temperatures exceeded 40 degrees Celsius in several cities. Gujo and Toyota set all-time high records at their weather stations. The rising temperatures are impacting agriculture, prompting farmers to plant heat-tolerant crops.