The country of Japan has endured much worse-than-normal summertime heat over the last several years and continues to see a rise in temperatures that were once either rare or non-existent.
Climate change continues to contribute to the increase in extreme heat events, therefore public awareness and communication about safety plans are critical now more than ever.
Japan has implemented updated terminology around high heat, to better describe and define extreme heat weather systems, and to provide clearer warnings to the public on the various levels of extreme heat events in order to differentiate between the severity of heat events’ impact on health and safety, the climate and the environment.
Specifically, there is a classification for the highest levels of extreme heat which occur when air temperatures reach or exceed 40 degrees Celsius.
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What New Term Did Japan Introduce for 40°C+ Hot Days?
The term 'Kokusho-bi' means 'extreme heat day' or 'severely hot day,' and is intended to emphasize the increase in health risks and environmental strain due to these temperatures.
The term 'Mōsho-bi' has already been used for days when the temperature reaches or exceeds 35°C.
However, with the increasing number of record breaking heatwaves across many locations in Japan, there was now a need to create a term that would be a much stronger indicator of the weather conditions being experienced.
The creation of this term is more than just a linguistic issue; it serves as a reflection of how serious of a problem extreme summer weather has become in Japan and it demonstrates growing concern for climate change and safety for the public during the summer months.
Key Points About “Kokusho-bi”
What it means: "Kokusho-bi" describes any day where the temperature reaches at least 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit), representing extreme heat.
How it works: "Kokusho-bi" will help educate the public and facilitate communication about the severity of potential health risks associated with extreme temperatures, such as heat stroke, dehydration and other serious health-related problems.
Therefore, people can take appropriate actions to avoid these risks when faced with these types of weather conditions.
Why it matters: "Kokusho-bi" is indicative of an increasing trend towards more frequent and/or extreme heatwaves affecting Japan, which demonstrates the overall impact of global warming on the environment and the need for climate change adaptation measures.
