People walk through extreme heat approaching 40 °C (104 °F) in Kuwana City, Mie Prefecture, on the afternoon of August 2.
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A high-pressure system is bringing clear skies and intense heat to wide areas of Japan. On August 5, warm air pushed temperatures even higher across much of the country.
Isesaki City in Gunma Prefecture set a new national record with a temperature of 41.8 °C (107.2 °F). Across the Kanto region, more than 10 locations reached 40 °C (104 °F) or higher — the most ever recorded in a single day.
Weather Patterns
Warm air was pulled in by a low-pressure system moving east near Hokkaido. In Kanto a phenomenon called the "Foehn effect" likely took place. This occurs when winds heat up as they descend over mountains. Located on the eastern side of Honshu, Japan's largest island, the Kanto region is made up of seven prefectures: Chiba, Gunma, Ibaraki, Kanagawa, Saitama, Tochigi, and Tokyo.
Rising Temperatures in Sapporo
Amid this record-breaking heat, even Hokkaido recorded its highest average July temperature ever, which has driven a surge in demand for air conditioners. However, the region has fewer installation contractors than the main island of Honshu, making it hard to keep up with the growing need.
According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, Sapporo’s average temperature in July 2025 was 25.8 °C (78.4 °F), 2.5 °C (4.5 °F) higher than in July 2024.
Since 2021, July temperatures in Hokkaido have generally hovered around 23 °C (73.4 °F). Before that, they usually stayed between 20 °C (68 °F) and 22 °C (71.6 °F). The data shows a sharp rise in recent years.
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Author: The Sankei Shimbun
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