Japan Introduces New Name for Days with Extreme Temperatures

Japan has introduced a new name for days when temperatures reach 40 degrees Celsius or more. This is in response to last summer being the hottest on record.

Japanese and foreign media translate the term "kokushobi" as "cruelly hot", "brutally hot" or "extremely hot" day. The naming came from a nationwide online survey involving some 478 thousand people. The second most popular suggestion was the term "super extremely hot day".

Japan already uses designations for days with temperatures above 25, 30 and 35 degrees. The summer of 2025 was the hottest since measurements began in 1898, with an average temperature 2.36 degrees above the long-term normal. Temperatures above 40 degrees occurred on nine days, with a high of 41.8 degrees in Isesaki.

The number of extremely hot days broke the previous record. Tokyo recorded 25 days above 35 degrees, Kyoto up to 52.

The Met Office expects this summer to be hotter than average as well.

(bbc, bak)