Temperatures soared above 30 in many parts of Japan on Wednesday as a high-pressure air mass swept over the archipelago, the Meteorological Agency said.
The air mass may delay the rainy season for another week, the agency said.
Saga saw the mercury rise to 33.8 — 6.6 degrees higher than average for this time of year — while Gifu and Nagoya saw temperatures of 33.5.
Many cities from eastern Japan to northern Kyushu experienced their highest temperatures this year.
Osaka reached 33.3, Hiroshima 32.8 and central Tokyo 30.7, according to the agency.
The "tsuyu" rainy season normally hits western Japan at this time of the year, but the powerful high-pressure air mass has prevented that front from moving northward, the agency said.
Except for regions south of northern Kyushu, including Okinawa, the rainy season will not arrive for another week, it said.
The agency forecasts that weather will mostly be fine with high temperatures throughout the end of the week, although there may be thundershowers in the late afternoon.
