Japan’s Hokkaido Woman in Her 90s Dies due to Suspected Heatstroke; Obihiro Expected to Reach 40 C on July 24

The Yomiuri Shimbun

20:32 JST, July 23, 2025

KITAMI, Hokkaido — Many places across Japan recorded high temperatures on Wednesday under the influence of a high-pressure system. In Hokkaido, severe heat was centered around areas along the Sea of Okhotsk.

A woman in her 90s was found in a state of cardiac arrest in a hot room in Shari, Hokkaido, on Wednesday morning.

The woman was later confirmed dead after being taken to a hospital. According to a local fire department, she was suspected of suffering from heatstroke.

The Sapporo Regional Meteorological Observatory reported that the maximum temperature in Shari on Wednesday was 36.8 C, which is 13.4 C higher than the average maximum temperature for July 23.

In Obihiro, inland city of Hokkaido, it is expected to mark 40 C on Thursday.