Japan and South Korea Sizzle: Hottest Summers in History

Japan: An Unrelenting Summer Blaze

• Warmest Summer on Record: According to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), Japan’s average summer temperature (June–August 2025) soared 2.36 °C above the 1991–2020 baseline, marking the hottest summer since record-keeping began in 1898—and surpassing the previous record highs of 2022 and 2023 (both of which were 1.76 °C above average)  .
  
  
• Scorching Days: The city of Isesaki in Gunma Prefecture registered a new all-time high of 41.8 °C on August 5, and the summer saw nine days exceeding 40°C—the most ever recorded  .
  
  
• Nationwide Impact: A startling 84,521 heat-related hospitalisations occurred between May 1 and August 24, exceeding last year’s figures  .
  
  
• Heatwave Legacy: The summer continued a disturbing trilogy of record-breaking years; this is Japan’s third consecutive summer setting new temperature benchmarks  .
  
  

South Korea: Nights That Never Cool Down

• Record Summer Average: South Korea’s average summer temperature reached 25.7 °C, the highest since monitoring began in 1973—just edging out 2024’s record of 25.6 °C  .
  
  
• Tropical Nights: Seoul endured a brutal streak of 22 consecutive “tropical nights”, where night-time temperatures failed to drop below 25 °C; on one particularly oppressive night the minimum stayed at 29.3 °C—the hottest July night on record  .
  
  
• Health Toll: South Korea reported 13 heat-related deaths so far this year—tripling last year’s count  .
  
  
• Additional Heatwave Data: July saw an average temperature of 27.1 °C, making it the second-hottest July on record. The country also experienced 14.5 heatwave days (daily highs above 33 °C), ranking third since records began  .
  
  

Why It Matters: Climate Change in Action

• The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) notes that Asia is warming nearly twice as fast as the global average  .
  
  
• Scientists link the intensifying heatwaves to human-caused climate change. In South Korea, researchers attribute these persistent heat patterns to the weakening of Arctic cold air—a direct effect of global warming  .
  
  

Human & Societal Impact

• Health Crisis: Tens of thousands in Japan hospitalized; dozens of deaths reported across both nations. The elderly and vulnerable populations face mounting risks  .
  
  
• Disrupted Daily Life: Tourism, agriculture, energy systems, and public services grapple with extreme heat. In South Korea, drought and water shortages prompted national disaster declarations and water rationing in cities like Gangneung  .
  
  
• Cultural & Lifestyle Shifts: Reports of children unable to play outdoors, school events and sports competitions being rescheduled, and even impacts on cherry blossom blooming and Mount Fuji’s snowcap reappearance—all indicative of broader environmental shifts  .
  
  

Looking Ahead: What Lies Ahead?

• Persistent Heat Forecasted: Long-term models suggest that elevated temperatures may continue into September, raising concern that 2025 could outpace even the record-setting summers of 2023 and 2024  .
  
  
• Urgent Need for Adaptation: Experts call for public cooling infrastructure, urban green spaces, heatwave early warning systems, and revised scheduling of outdoor activities to safeguard public health and social functionality  .
  
  

Summary Table

These record-breaking summers are more than just numbers—they underscore a changing climate with real consequences for lives, economies, and traditions. Preparedness and adaptation must become central to policy and community planning.

Source:https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/9/1/japan-and-south-korea-record-hottest-summers-in-history

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