The Asahi Shimbun
Wed, 18 Jun 2025 18:02 UTC
People try to ward off the heat in Tokyo’s Minato Ward on the morning of June 17.
© Minako Yoshimoto
People try to ward off the heat in Tokyo’s Minato Ward on the morning of June 17.
Four people died from suspected heatstroke in and around the Kanto region on June 17, the start of an expected days-long period of extreme heat across the nation.

The Japanese archipelago was enveloped in warm air from the south and a high pressure system, leading to temperatures of 35 degrees or higher at 65 of 914 observation points as of 5 p.m. on June 17.

The hottest location was Kofu, at 38.2 degrees, followed by Takasaki in Gunma Prefecture at 37.7 degrees and Shizuoka at 37.6 degrees. These were the hottest temperatures so far in 2025.

According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, 547 locations recorded temperatures of 30 degrees or higher, including downtown Tokyo at 34.8 degrees, Sendai at 34.7 degrees, and Osaka at 33.4 degrees.
https://www.sott.net/article/500208-Temperature-extremes-4-die-of-suspected-heatstroke-in-Japan-38-2-degrees-centigrade-recorded-more-days-of-searing-weather-forecast

Torrential rains have battered Japan's southern Kyushu Island, triggering severe floods and landslides that forced mass evacuations and brought local transport to a standstill.

Authorities have issued the highest level of weather warnings across parts of the region.

According to Japan's Fire and Disaster Management Agency, a powerful landslide struck a home in Aira, Kagoshima Prefecture, burying two individuals who were later rescued alive and transported to the hospital.

Evacuation orders have been issued for more than 360,000 residents in Kagoshima and neighboring Miyazaki Prefecture as rainfall continues to pose serious risks of further landslides and flash floods.



Television footage showed muddy waters surging through swollen rivers. In Kirishima City, floodwaters reached knee-level inside a commercial center, prompting emergency evacuations and temporary closures.

The extreme weather has paralyzed local transport networks, with rail and bus services suspended across the region. Dozens of domestic flights to and from Kagoshima have also been canceled due to safety concerns.

In response to the escalating crisis, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's government formed an emergency task force to coordinate relief and rescue operations.

The prime minister assured citizens that the government would take all necessary measures to protect lives and ensure public safety.
https://www.sott.net/article/501119-360000-urged-to-evacuate-in-Kyushu-Japan-as-floods-and-landslides-hit-record-rainfall-of-19-6-inches-in-24-hours-twice-the-average-for-August

Japan's ski resorts are experiencing one of their snowiest starts to a season on record, with several resorts reporting snow depths exceeding 400 cm (13 feet).

ARAI Snow Resort in Myoko City, Niigata is currently leads with 486 cm (16 ft), owing to an extra 53 cm (1.74ft) over the past 24-hours.

In total, some 30 ski areas across the country are reporting snow depths above 300 cm. Resorts in Niigata, Nagano, and Yamagata dominate the list.



Aomori Prefecture, Japan

While Japan is no stranger to heavy snow, this season stands out.

Several resorts have already surpassed their average peak season snow depths, and conditions rival some of the heaviest winters on record, particularly at ARAI, Charmant Hiuchi, Tengendai Kogen, and Hakuba Happo-One—to name just four.

The snowy conditions are forecast to persist; historically, Japan sees its heaviest snowfall from mid to late January.



"Juhyo", or "snow monsters", occur when unique frost formations form on trees. Aomori is one of the few places you can view them.
https://electroverse.substack.com/p/japan-resorts-near-5-meters-164-feet

A rapidly deepening low-pressure system unleashed heavy snow and strong winds across Hokkaido this week, disrupting transport and power across northern Japan.

The Japan Meteorological Agency reported that 14 locations, mainly in eastern Hokkaido, logged 50 cm (19.7 inches) or more in the 24 hours to 8 AM (local time) on Dec 15.

Totals peaked at 68 cm (26.8 inches) in Kamisatsunai and Taiki in the Tokachi region, with 56 cm (22 inches) settling near Lake Akan in the Kushiro area.
https://electroverse.substack.com/p/blizzard-slams-hokkaido-japan-northeast

Widespread snowfall across Japan was followed Monday by a sharp plunge in temperatures.

The cold was national in scale, with the freezing mark breached across more than 90% of Japan.

In Tokyo, both Narita International Airport and Haneda Airport logged their coldest readings on record, with thermometers crashing -9.7C (15F) and -3.8C (25F), respectively. In total, at least six locales broke their all-time low temperature record.

[Sayaka Mori]
In the capital itself, Tokyo fell below -3C (27F), marking its coldest February temperature in 42 years.

The combination of usually far-reaching snow cover (which stretches to the Pacific side as well as the Sea of Japan side) and entrenched Arctic air has locked in an unprecedented chill.
https://electroverse.substack.com/p/japans-record-february-cold-snow

This winter's record snowfall that has hit the Tohoku region and Niigata Prefecture has caused serious agricultural damage such as breaking branches on fruit trees and causing vinyl greenhouses to collapse.

Because many farm roads remain buried in snow, confirming the extent of the damage done so far will take a long time, and it could be worse than in typical years.

"I can only sigh because more branches have been broken than last year," a farmer said in mid-February while carefully digging up branches buried in the snow in an apple orchard in Hirosaki, Aomori Prefecture. In January, the city saw a record snowfall of 148 centimeters.

Last winter, broken branches on apple trees alone caused more than ¥20 billion in damage in the prefecture. The yield from his 5-hectare farm dropped by nearly 10 tonnes, down over 10% from typical years. Branches have been broken over a wide area this year, and he said, "I'm afraid this year's yield will be lower than last year's."

In Kita-Akita, Akita Prefecture, where 160 centimeters of snow fell in the downtown area in January, about 70 structures such as vinyl greenhouses and coops for "Hinai Jidori" chickens suffered damage from heavy snowfall.

A vegetable farmer said 10 of his greenhouses, nearly half of the total, have been damaged. His spinach and kogomi ostrich fern plants have been left buried in the snow without being harvested, and his tractor is snowbound. He estimates the damage to be about ¥40 million.

"I've never seen snow like this before, and the surge in material prices makes it difficult to rebuild my greenhouses." he said.

Niigata Prefecture, which has also seen heavy snowfall in some areas, has confirmed damage to about 190 agricultural facilities in nine municipalities in the prefecture as of Feb. 26.
https://www.sott.net/article/504958-Record-snowfall-in-Japan-causes-serious-agricultural-damage-in-Tohoku-Region