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Japan Urges 37 Million People to Switch Off Lights

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Japan Urges 37 Million People to Switch Off Lights
27 Jun 2022
5 min read

News Synopsis

The Japanese Government has urged residents of Tokyo and its surrounding areas to use less electricity on Monday, warning that supplies will be limited due to the country's heatwave. The Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry anticipates "severe" power demand this afternoon local time. It advised people to turn off unnecessary lights while still using air conditioning to avoid heatstroke.

Power outages have been predicted for weeks as temperatures rise.The temperature in central Tokyo exceeded 35 degrees Celsius over the weekend, while Isesaki, northwest of the capital, reached a record 40.2 degrees Celsius. That was the highest June temperature ever recorded in Japan.

In Japan, June marks the start of summer, with temperatures typically staying below 30 degrees Celsius. The ministry said in a statement on Sunday that excess generating capacity for electricity was expected to fall to 3.7 percent on Monday afternoon in Tokyo and eight surrounding prefectures. It believes that a 3% buffer is required for stable power supply.

The government requested that people turn off unnecessary lights for three hours beginning at 15:00 Tokyo time (07:00 BST) and "properly using air conditioning and hydrating during hot hours." Although power companies are working to increase supply, the ministry stated that the situation is "unpredictable" as temperatures rise.