Japan reveals new name for 40C-and-hotter days after blistering summer
7 hours ago
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- Japan introduces a new term 'kokushobi' to describe days reaching 40°C (104°F) or above, meaning 'cruelly hot' or 'brutally hot'.
- The term was selected via a national online survey with 478,000 responses, beating options like 'super extremely hot day'.
- This follows Japan's hottest summer on record in 2025, with average temperatures 2.36°C above normal and nine days exceeding 40°C, including a record 41.8°C in Isesaki.
- Extreme heat events are increasing globally due to human activities like fossil fuel burning, with Tokyo and Kyoto experiencing significantly more days over 35°C compared to averages.
- Japan's Meteorological Agency forecasts above-normal temperatures for summer 2025 from June to August.