Japanese cities experiencing heat island effects

World Today

In Japan, summer has begun and heat waves have swept across the country. This heat has caused many Japanese cities to experience heat island effects, which can drastically affect a community’s environment and quality of life. Central and local governments as well as private institutions have been trying hard to ease the effects. CCTV-America’s Terrence Terrashima reports.

As soon as the rainy seasons ended, temperatures soared across Japan. Japanese meteorological agency warns that series of heat waves are expected to hit the country this summer.

In some areas temperatures are already at 35 degrees centigrade. But in central metropolitan areas where there are a lot of concrete and metals to bounce off more heat. The effective temperature feels more

Like many cities in the world, Tokyo has been suffering from heat Island effect, but researchers say it has gotten worse in recent years. Increasing high-rises along the bay area is preventing wind from the coast to flow into the metropolis. Preventing efficient heat transfer in the lower atmosphere, trapping the heat inside.

Authorities say over 4500 people were taken to hospitals in Tokyo last year for heatstroke 10 times the number in year 2000. This month already over 230 people suffered from hear exhaustion. The metropolitan government is now promoting green buildings projects and laying water retentive tarmacs. But experts say bigger scale measures are needed to have significant impact.

IT is relatively easy to add the green concept in newly built buildings, but experts say it is difficult to plant greeneries in already existing ones, and maintaining them. Meteorological agency says the number of days where temperatures do not drop below 25 degrees have increased rapidly in recent decades. And advise residents in Tokyo to take precautions

Officials said Tokyo is hoping to ease the situation by 2020, when Japan hosts the summer Olympics in its capital.