As a safety measure against a possible surge in heatstroke and heat exhaustion cases at next summer's Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Tokyo Fire Department is preparing additional ambulances and multilingual support for athletes and spectators.

During Tokyo's scorching summer of 2018, a record 8,295 people in the metropolitan area were taken to hospitals by ambulances for suspected heat-related illnesses.

While the organizing committee for the games and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government are striving to mitigate heat risks for visitors, it is also necessary to plan for a scenario in which large numbers of people may require medical attention.