Japan records its first ‘cruelly hot day’ as cities swelter in 40-degree heat

Japan recorded its first 'cruelly hot day' (kokushobi) since introducing the term in April, with temperatures exceeding 40°C in cities like Gujo, Tajimi, and Toyota. The Japan Meteorological Agency coined the term to highlight increasingly common extreme heat, as Gujo and Toyota set all-time temperature records at 40°C and 40.1°C, respectively.