The weekly count of heatstroke-related emergency transports in Kumamoto Prefecture, southwestern Japan, reached 309 in the seven days to Sunday, an increase of 89 from the previous week, the Fire and Disaster Management Agency reported. Nineteen patients suffered severe symptoms requiring hospitalisation of at least three weeks, and at least one person in the quake-stricken area is suspected of having died from heatstroke after spending nights in a car. The prefecture recorded its highest weekly number of such cases since the agency’s survey began on 1 May, with many locations logging temperatures of 35 degrees Celsius or higher.

The surge follows the 28 July earthquake that registered up to 7 on Japan’s seismic intensity scale, forcing residents into evacuation shelters. The agency noted that fatigue and poor nutrition linked to shelter life are believed to increase heatstroke risk. In response, companies have rushed to supply cooling equipment and emergency power. Daikin Industries dispatched portable spot coolers and large-capacity air conditioners, Hitachi delivered 37 business-use units to shelters, and Toyota Motor sent a hydrogen fuel cell bus that generates electricity for evacuation sites and recharges portable batteries. Convenience-store chain Seven-Eleven Japan deployed staff to shelters to deliver food and frozen drinks, while gym chain Anytime Fitness opened showers and restrooms free of charge.

A separate initiative addressed evacuees with pets. Kyushu Animal Academy in Kumamoto city opened a shelter accepting people and their animals together within hours of the quake, an arrangement formalised in a 2021 agreement with the city government. By Sunday, 83 people from 48 households had stayed with dogs, cats and rabbits, with 17 veterinarians monitoring the animals’ health. “Pets are members of families,” said school head Ryunosuke Tokuda, pointing to the risk of heatstroke for animals during summer disasters.

Amid the broader heatwave, Japanese firm Trusco Nakayama has begun selling a human-sized cooling booth, the Do Hiemon Box, priced at 1.5 million yen (US$9,500). The walk-in stainless-steel unit maintains an interior temperature of 15 degrees Celsius and blows 5-degree air onto the occupant’s neck, back and legs. Fumiaki Matsubara, general manager of the product division, said the concept was “less about providing a place to rest and more about providing equipment that could help prevent heat-related conditions from becoming more severe.” The manufacturer states the device is designed for quick relief from potential heat exhaustion, but it functions only up to an outside temperature of 35 degrees, and the health ministry stresses it does not replace medical treatment. Emergency rescue teams continue to visit evacuation centres across Kumamoto to urge residents to take extra health precautions.