Japan Felt Record Heat in 2023; Meteorological Agency Blames Global Warming

The Yomiuri Shimbun

12:30 JST, January 5, 2024

The average temperature for Japan in 2023 was higher than any year since records began in 1898, at 1.29 C above a 30-year average from 1991 to 2020, the Japan Meteorological Agency said Thursday. Describing the temperature as “historically high,” the agency attributed the unprecedented heat to global warming.

According to the agency, the previous record was set in 2020, when the year was 0.65 C above the three-decade average.

Northern Japan topped the average last year by 1.8 C, and eastern Japan was over it by 1.4 C. These temperatures were the highest since 1946, the earliest year for regional data. Western Japan hit 0.9 C above the average to tie with its previous record high, while the Okinawa-Amami region was 0.4 C above mark.