Japan comes up with new word for 40C-and-hotter days after blistering summer
Summary
Japan has introduced a new word, kokushobi, to describe days when temperatures reach 40°C (104°F) or higher. This follows the hottest summer on record in Japan, with many days exceeding 35°C and a new highest temperature of 41.8°C recorded.Key Facts
- Japan's Meteorological Agency created the term kokushobi, meaning "cruelly hot," for days 40°C or hotter.
- The new word was chosen through a national online survey with around 478,000 participants.
- Japan already has special words for days over 25°C, 30°C, and 35°C.
- Summer 2025 was the hottest on record in Japan, with temperatures averaging 2.36°C above normal.
- The highest temperature recorded was 41.8°C in Isesaki city.
- Tokyo had 25 days over 35°C, much more than the usual 4.5 days.
- Kyoto had 52 such hot days, compared with an average of 18.5 days.
- The Japan Meteorological Agency expects above-normal temperatures again this summer.
- Scientists link the rise in extreme heat to climate change caused by human actions like burning fossil fuels.
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