Japan's summer has started off with a bang, weather-wise.

In what seems like a repeat of last year's record-breaking heat, the first couple of weeks of July were marked by a heatwave throughout many parts of Japan — daily high temperatures in the mid-30s with the lows rarely dipping below 25 degrees Celcius. The only respite has been the torrential rain and powerful winds unleashed by typhoon No. 6.

The nation's setsuden (electricity conservation) plan could hardly have come at a worse time. With the nuclear power plant in Fukushima crippled by a triple reactor meltdown and nuke plants elsewhere going off line, overheated citizens and organizations are being urged to cut their power use.