Japan Waives Basic Water Charges for Tokyo Residents to Combat Severe Heat

The Japanese government announced that it will waive basic water charges for Tokyo residents during the summer, as part of its efforts to combat the impact of severe heat waves.

Last summer was one of the hottest in Japan's history, with severe heat waves sweeping across many regions of the world due to climate change.

Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike told reporters on Tuesday that basic charges will be waived for four months, adding that the average savings per household will be about 5,000 yen (equivalent to $35).

Koike added, "We hope to create an environment where Tokyo residents can live safely even in the face of expected heat waves."

This measure aims to ease the burden of inflation on households and encourage the use of air conditioning to reduce the incidence of heatstroke.

Heatstroke Warnings

Every summer, Japanese authorities urge people—especially the elderly—to stay in air-conditioned spaces to avoid heatstroke. The elderly accounted for more than 80 percent of heat-related deaths over the past five years. They are severely affected by high electricity bills, and some still believe that air conditioning is harmful to their health.

The Tokyo government has allocated a budget of 36.8 billion yen to cover approximately 8 million households, or 14 million people.