Tokyo, Aug 2: Japan experienced its hottest July for the third year in a row, with a record 2.89 degrees Celsius higher than usual, according to the country's weather agency.

The nationwide average temperature was the highest for July since comparable records began in 1898, toppling the previous record set in 2024 by 2.16 degrees Celsius, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said on Friday.

Weather officials said this year's deviation from normal is much larger than past figures, adding that the country faced "abnormally high" temperatures.

On July 30, a temperature of 41.2 degrees was recorded in Tamba City in the western prefecture of Hyogo, the highest ever observed in the country.

Meanwhile, rainfall in July on the Sea of Japan side of the northeastern Tohoku region and in the central Hokuriku region was the lowest since those statistics started being recorded in 1946, the JMA said.

Earlier on Thursday it was reported that extreme heat continued to grip much of Japan, with life-threatening temperatures of over 40 degrees Celsius recorded in some places for a second day, according to the country's weather agency.

The dangerous heatwave was mainly affecting western Japan, where the mercury hit 40.4 degrees in Takahashi City, Okayama Prefecture, on Thursday afternoon, the JMA said.

By 3:30 p.m. local time, the highest temperatures reached 39.5 degrees Celsius in Fukuchiyama City, Kyoto Prefecture, 39.3 degrees Celsius in Iwakuni City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, and 38.9 degrees Celsius in Nishiwaki City, Hyogo Prefecture and Akiota Town in Hiroshima Prefecture, according to the JMA.

Heatstroke alerts were issued for 34 of Japan's 47 prefectures on Thursday, Xinhua news agency reported.

On July 24, the mercury rose to nearly 40 degrees in some parts of the northern prefecture of Hokkaido.

Weather officials urged people to keep cool by using air conditioners, consuming adequate fluids and salt, and taking frequent breaks during outdoor activities.

(IANS)

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