TOKYO -- Temperatures soared across the Japanese archipelago on July 22 under a high-pressure system, with the mercury in central Japan exceeding 40 C for a second consecutive day, marking another "kokushobi," or "cruelly hot day."

The high temperature reached 40.6 C in the Mie Prefecture city of Kuwana shortly before 2:30 p.m. and 40.1 C in Hamamatsu's Tenryu Ward in Shizuoka Prefecture at 1:49 p.m. On July 21, readings above 40 C were observed in Gifu and Aichi prefectures.

According to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), as of 1 p.m. on July 22, 243 of the country's 914 observation points had recorded temperatures of 35 degrees Celsius or higher.

The Ministry of the Environment and the JMA issued heatstroke alerts for 41 prefectures from Fukushima to Okinawa, urging people to use air conditioners appropriately and replenish fluids and salt.

(Japanese original by Ayaka Morita, Tokyo City News Department)