A heat wave hit Tokyo and numerous other parts of Japan on Sunday, with the mercury rising above 35 C and hitting a high of 37.9 C in Uonuma, Niigata Prefecture, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.
In Tokyo, an 87-year-old woman was found unconscious in her bed early Sunday and died after she was taken to a hospital, firefighters said. She is suspected to have suffered from heatstroke.
Seven other people were taken to hospitals by ambulance by 3 p.m. in Tokyo with what was also suspected to be heatstroke, they said.
In Yamato, Kanagawa Prefecture, a 35-year-old man was taken to a hospital from a street where he was found lying around midnight Saturday. He died early Sunday apparently due to suffering heatstroke while jogging, local police said.
In Iwate Prefecture, the temperature hit record highs in three locations including 35.0 C in Karumai, and matched record highs in three other locations, the weather agency said.
Other areas that marked high temperatures included Maizuru in Kyoto with 37.0 C, Semboku in Akita Prefecture with 36.9 C and Maebaru in Fukuoka Prefecture with 36.8 C.
The agency said temperatures are expected to stay high at the normal summer level or go higher during the next week due to a lingering high-pressure system over the Pacific Ocean.