The average summer temperature in the Tohoku region this year was the third lowest since the end of World War II, and most other parts of the country also saw less sunshine and more rain.

The Meteorological Agency said Monday that the average temperature from June to August in the Tohoku region and Hokkaido was 1.2 degrees below average.

In eastern and central Japan, covering the Kanto, Koshin, Hokuriku and Tokai regions, the temperature was 0.6 degrees below average, while in western and southwestern Japan, covering the Kinki, Chugoku, Shikoku and Kyushu regions, it was 0.3 below average.