Temperatures in western to northern Japan are soaring on Monday. The mercury hit 35 degrees Celsius or higher before noon in some areas.
Weather officials are urging people to rest frequently and stay hydrated to avoid heatstroke.
The Meteorological Agency says warm, damp air flowing in from southern Japan is causing the heat.
As of 11:30 a.m, highs of 35.7 degrees were recorded in Niigata City, 35.5 degrees in Miyazu City, Kyoto Prefecture, 34.9 degrees in Osaka City, 33.9 degrees in Fukushima City, and 33.1 degrees in central Tokyo.
Temperatures are expected to rise further on Monday afternoon. Highs of 37 degrees are forecast in Fukui city, 36 degrees in the cities of Kyoto, Niigata and Yamagata, and 35 degrees in the cities of Osaka, Nagoya and Kanazawa. The high for central Tokyo will be 33 degrees.
Humidity levels are also high. Heatstroke alerts have been issued for wide areas from northeastern to western Japan.
People are being urged to avoid non-essential outings, to drink fluids frequently, use air conditioning, and remove masks outdoors if they can maintain proper social distancing.
Warm, damp air from tropical depressions south of the main island of Honshu and near the Sakishima Islands in southwestern Japan is expected to destabilize atmospheric conditions from northern to western Japan.
Isolated thundershowers with over 50 millimeters of rain per hour are possible, mainly on Monday afternoon as temperatures rise.
Caution is advised against flooding in low-lying areas, swelling rivers, landslides, lightning strikes, tornadoes, gusty winds, and hailstorms.
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