Environment

2023 Saw Record-Breaking Temperatures across Japan

2023 in Japan was the hottest year ever recorded, with all-time highs in Fukushima and Ishikawa, long heat waves, and hot weather lasting well into autumn.

Published

3 months ago

January 19, 2024

The Sankei Shimbun

People walking in Harajuku, Tokyo, on the afternoon of July 10, 2023 during a heat wave. (©Sankei by Yukuto Hagihara)

Read the full story on Japan 2 Earth - 2023 Saw Record-Breaking Temperatures across Japan

The average temperature in 2023 surpassed normal levels by 1.29 degrees according to an announcement by the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) on January 4. Normal levels are calculated as the 30-year average up to 2020. This figure marks the highest increase ever recorded since statistical records started in 1898. The previous record was 0.65 degrees above the normal level in 2020. The increase in 2023 represents a significant and unprecedented record. Notably, higher temperatures have persisted in recent years, with the years 2019 to 2023 ranking as the top five in recorded history.

Record-Breaking Heat

According to JMA, the year 2023 set new records for high temperatures in three consecutive seasons – spring (March to May), summer (June to August), and autumn (September to November). Monthly, March, July, August, and September marked the highest temperatures ever recorded in statistical history.

Continue reading the full story on Japan 2 Earth to learn more about Japan's record-breaking temperatures in 2023.

And find more great articles on the environment and the challenges of achieving the SDGs on our affiliated website Japan 2 Earth (J2E), sparking a transition to a sustainable future.

(Read the article in Japanese.)

Author: The Sankei Shimbun