--- description: Japan's deadly heat wave has claimed more than 40 lives, with little relief in sight as record temperatures are expected to persist title: Deadly Heat Wave Expected to Continue in Japan image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltbedff85908b4ff61/698935ecab6d77d9326b33c2/rtx6bpki.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [World](/section/world/) ## World Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [Japan](/tag/japan/) ## Japan Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Deadly Japan Heat Wave Continues as Temperatures Reach Highest Ever by [Eli Meixler](/author/eli/) ## Eli Meixler Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Updated: Dec 12, 2023 6:37 PM CUTPublished: Jul 23, 2018 4:12 AM CUT  A volunteer, for recovery work, uses a pack of refrigerant to a cool down as she takes a break in a heat wave at a flood affected area in Kurashiki, Okayama Prefecture, Japan on July 14, 2018. A volunteer, for recovery work, uses a pack of refrigerant to a cool down as she takes a break in a heat wave at a flood affected area in Kurashiki, Okayama Prefecture, Japan on July 14, 2018.Issei Kato—Reuters by [Eli Meixler](/author/eli/) ## Eli Meixler Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Updated: Dec 12, 2023 6:37 PM CUTPublished: Jul 23, 2018 4:12 AM CUT A deadly heat wave blistering across Japan has claimed more than 40 lives this month, with little relief in sight as record temperatures are expected to persist until later this week. The country logged its highest-ever temperature at 106 degrees Fahrenheit (41.1°C) in Kumagaya, near Tokyo on Monday afternoon, [according](https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2018/07/5e84f775e76b-urgent-temperature-hits-411-c-in-kumagaya-near-tokyo-highest-ever-in-japan.html "undefined") to Japan’s Kyodo news agency. Eleven people, mostly senior citizens, [died](https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2018/07/22/national/least-11-dead-saturday-heat-wave-continues-grip-japan/#.W1U4W9j-hsa "undefined") of suspected heatstroke on Saturday alone, the Japan _Times_ reports. The searing heat has also seen a surge in distress calls, with an estimated [10,000 people](https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2018/07/18/national/12-dead-nearly-10000-taken-hospitals-last-week-ongoing-heat-wave-engulfed-japan/ "undefined") hospitalized for heat-related conditions since the heat wave began on July 9. Temperatures reached 105 degrees Fahrenheit (40.7°C) in central Japan’s Tajimi city, Gifu Prefecture earlier this week, the highest in the country for five years. While in Kyoto, temperatures peaked at 103°F (39.8°C) after seven consecutive days of being above 100°F — a first since records began. The country’s meteorological agency on Sunday issued active [heat warnings](https://www.data.jma.go.jp/fcd/yoho/data/kouon/index%5Fen.html "undefined") in 39 of Japan’s 47 prefectures, and has [broadcast calls](http://www.the-japan-news.com/news/article/0004603118 "undefined") for residents in affected areas to drink water and use air conditioners, Japan’s _Yomiuri Shobun_ reports. On Saturday, the Tokyo fire department dispatched more than 3,000 ambulances on Saturday, the most active day in the department’s history. The heat has also added complications to rescue and rehabilitation efforts in western Japan, which is still reeling from widespread[ flooding](http://time.com/5334127/japan-flood-victims-rescuers-search-dozens-missing/ "undefined") and landslides that claimed more than 200 lives this month. An estimated 4,500 people displaced from their homes are still living in emergency shelters, [according](http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-07-22/japan-heatwave-kills-30-and-sees-thousands-in-hospital/10022488 "undefined") to ABC. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5345553/japan-heat-wave-record-temperatures/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5345553/japan-heat-wave-record-temperatures/"},"headline":"Deadly Japan Heat Wave Continues as Temperatures Reach Highest Ever","datePublished":"2018-07-23T04:12:32.000Z","dateModified":"2023-12-12T18:37:09.000Z","description":"Record temperatures are expected to persist until later this week","url":"https://time.com/5345553/japan-heat-wave-record-temperatures/","keywords":["Japan","onetime","overnight"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltbedff85908b4ff61/698935ecab6d77d9326b33c2/rtx6bpki.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Eli Meixler","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/eli/"}],"articleSection":"World","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltbedff85908b4ff61/698935ecab6d77d9326b33c2/rtx6bpki.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"FILE PHOTO: A volunteer, for recovery work, uses a pack of refrigerant to a cool down as she takes a break in a heat wave at a flood affected area in Kurashiki","caption":"FILE PHOTO: A volunteer, for recovery work, uses a pack of refrigerant to a cool down as she takes a break in a heat wave at a flood affected area in Kurashiki","creditText":"Issei Kato—Reuters","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/world/","name":"World"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/japan/","name":"Japan"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/5345553/japan-heat-wave-record-temperatures/","name":"Deadly Japan Heat Wave Continues as Temperatures Reach Highest Ever"}}]}] ```