Japan's weather agency adopted the term 'kokushobi', or a 'cruelly hot day', to better warn the public of 40°C heat. (EPA Images pic)TOKYO: Temperatures continued to soar across parts of Japan on Saturday, with the mercury topping 40°C for the fifth straight day in the country, according to the weather agency, reported Xinhua.The temperature rose to 40°C or higher in six cities in central Japan on Saturday, including all four prefectures in the Tokai region: Shizuoka, Gifu, Mie and Aichi.This marked the fifth straight day that temperatures of 40°C or above had been recorded in the country, the longest such streak since comparative data became available in 2010, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said.Kuwana City in Mie Prefecture recorded a temperature of 40.6°C, while in Gifu Prefecture, it rose to 40.8°C and 40.7°C in the cities of Mino and Tajimi, respectively, the JMA said.Hamamatsu City in Shizuoka Prefecture recorded 40.3°C, and Toyota City in Aichi Prefecture logged 40.0°C, it added.Meanwhile, Kofu City in Yamanashi Prefecture, northeast of Shizuoka, also logged 40.0°C, becoming the first location outside of the Tokai region to register a "kokushobi", or a "cruelly hot day", this year, JMA data showed.In April, the JMA introduced the term "kokushobi", which refers to days when temperatures reach 40°C, to more effectively warn the public of extreme heat.
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