Japan recorded its highest temperature on record today, 41.8°C (107.2 Fahrenheit), Reuters reports. The government has urged citizens to stay indoors due to the heat and has promised to take measures to mitigate possible damage to the rice crop due to the high temperatures.
According to the disaster management agency, more than 53,000 people have been hospitalized with heatstroke this summer.
At the same time, northeastern regions along the Sea of Japan coast have suffered a severe lack of snow, which is putting the rice harvest at risk.
The high temperatures have also led to the spread of insect pests, particularly stink bugs, in rice-growing regions. The government is preparing to announce a new policy aimed at increasing rice production to prevent future shortages.
