Heatstroke alerts issued across Japan

Scorching temperatures are expected to continue across Japan on Friday. People are advised to take measures to avoid heatstroke.

Heatstroke alerts have been issued across the country, including parts of the northern prefecture of Hokkaido, the eastern prefectures of Tochigi, Gunma, Saitama and Tokyo, and the western prefectures of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

The Japan Meteorological Agency says the current high temperatures are life-threatening. Officials say the heatwave is being caused by a high-pressure system covering Japan.

The day's highs are expected to be 39 degrees Celsius in Toyooka City, Hyogo Prefecture, and 38 degrees in Ichinoseki City, Iwate Prefecture, and the cities of Fukushima, Maebashi, Kumagaya, Kyoto and Maizuru.

Elsewhere, highs of 37 degrees are expected in the cities of Kofu, Fukui and Tottori, 36 degrees in the cities of Sasebo, Yamaguchi and Takamatsu, and 35 degrees in central Tokyo and the cities of Nagoya and Fukuoka.

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