Japan logs highest-ever temperature of 41.2 degrees Celsius in Hyogo

TOKYO, July 31 (Xinhua) -- The highest temperature ever recorded in Japan has been observed in the western prefecture of Hyogo, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA).

The mercury hit the above-human temperature of 41.2 degrees Celsius in the city of Tamba in Hyogo Prefecture at 14:39 local time on Wednesday, beating the previous high of 41.1 degrees Celsius marked in Kumagaya City, Saitama Prefecture, in 2018 and in Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture, in 2020, the JMA said.

Meanwhile, Fukuchiyama City in Kyoto Prefecture and Maniwa City in Okayama Prefecture also logged extremely high temperatures of 40.6 degrees Celsius and 40.2 degrees Celsius on Wednesday, respectively.

Wednesday marked the first day this year that temperatures of over 40 degrees Celsius were recorded in the country. Last year, Mino City in Gifu Prefecture hit that mark on Aug. 16.

The weather agency said the ongoing heat wave was likely to continue in much of Japan from Saturday through Monday, urging people to use air conditioners and cooling fans properly and take fluids frequently. ■