Japan urges 37 million people to switch off lights
Japan's government has urged people in Tokyo and its surrounding area to use less electricity on Monday, as it warned that supplies will be strained as the country faces a heatwave.
The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry expects demand for power to be "severe" this afternoon local time.
It said people should switch off unnecessary lights but still use air conditioning to avoid heatstroke.
For weeks, officials have warned of a power crunch as temperatures rise.
Over the weekend, the temperature in central Tokyo rose above 35C, while the city of Isesaki, northwest of the capital, saw a record 40.2C. That was the highest temperature ever recorded in June for Japan.
June marks the start of summer in Japan, with temperatures typically staying below 30C during the month.
In a statement on Sunday, the ministry said that excess generating capacity for electricity was expected to drop to 3.7% on Monday afternoon in Tokyo and eight surrounding prefectures. It views a buffer of 3% as necessary for stable power supply.
The government asked people to turn off unnecessary lights for three hours from 15:00 Tokyo time (07:00 BST) while "properly using air conditioning and hydrating during hot hours".
Although electricity providers are working to increase supply, the ministry said the situation was "unpredictable" as temperatures climb.
"If there is an increase in demand and sudden supply troubles, the reserve margin will fall below the minimum required of 3%," it said.
Japan's power supply has been tight since an earthquake in its northeastern region in March forced some nuclear power plants to suspend operations.
Officials have also closed several aging fossil fuel plants in an attempt to cut carbon dioxide emissions.
These issues, along with a surge in demand for electricity, have resulted in a power squeeze.
Earlier this month, the Japanese government called on households and companies to save as much electricity as possible during the summer.
Meanwhile, Japanese public broadcaster NHK reported that 46 people in Tokyo had been taken to hospital for suspected heatstroke, as of Sunday afternoon.
It also said a 94-year-old man in the nearby Kawagoe city was suspected to have died from the condition.
The news comes after Australian officials urged households in New South Wales - a state which includes the country's biggest city Sydney - to switch off their lights in the face of an energy crisis. Restrictions on the Australian wholesale energy market were lifted late last week.
It said people should switch off unnecessary lights but still use air conditioning to avoid heatstroke.
For weeks, officials have warned of a power crunch as temperatures rise.
Over the weekend, the temperature in central Tokyo rose above 35C, while the city of Isesaki, northwest of the capital, saw a record 40.2C. That was the highest temperature ever recorded in June for Japan.
June marks the start of summer in Japan, with temperatures typically staying below 30C during the month.
In a statement on Sunday, the ministry said that excess generating capacity for electricity was expected to drop to 3.7% on Monday afternoon in Tokyo and eight surrounding prefectures. It views a buffer of 3% as necessary for stable power supply.
The government asked people to turn off unnecessary lights for three hours from 15:00 Tokyo time (07:00 BST) while "properly using air conditioning and hydrating during hot hours".
Although electricity providers are working to increase supply, the ministry said the situation was "unpredictable" as temperatures climb.
"If there is an increase in demand and sudden supply troubles, the reserve margin will fall below the minimum required of 3%," it said.
Japan's power supply has been tight since an earthquake in its northeastern region in March forced some nuclear power plants to suspend operations.
Officials have also closed several aging fossil fuel plants in an attempt to cut carbon dioxide emissions.
These issues, along with a surge in demand for electricity, have resulted in a power squeeze.
Earlier this month, the Japanese government called on households and companies to save as much electricity as possible during the summer.
Meanwhile, Japanese public broadcaster NHK reported that 46 people in Tokyo had been taken to hospital for suspected heatstroke, as of Sunday afternoon.
It also said a 94-year-old man in the nearby Kawagoe city was suspected to have died from the condition.
The news comes after Australian officials urged households in New South Wales - a state which includes the country's biggest city Sydney - to switch off their lights in the face of an energy crisis. Restrictions on the Australian wholesale energy market were lifted late last week.
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
