Hot and humid conditions behind several recent deaths in Japan have driven residents to use new "cooling shelters" set up around the capital on Tuesday (July 9), including at the popular tourist spot Tokyo Tower.
Typically facilities such as community centers or libraries equipped with air conditioners, the shelters are part of a scheme adopted this year that require local governments to provide people a respite from the heat after warnings go out.
Temperatures hit a record 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) on Monday (July 8) in the city of Shizuoka, while other areas, some in Tokyo, have witnessed record temperatures for this time of the year.
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