Retailers ramp up summer sales as consumers brace for extreme heat in Japan

TOKYO — Retailers in Japan are stepping up summer sales campaigns as consumers prepare for potentially prolonged periods of hot weather, where temperatures could reach 40 C or higher.

Some stores are also seeking to draw customers by promoting them as places to cool off and enjoy some time away from home, as electricity bills are expected to rise partly due to higher fuel costs amid tensions in the Middle East.

The move follows the Japan Meteorological Agency's addition in April of kokushobi, or "severely hot day," to its forecast vocabulary for days of 40 C or higher, after the country experienced its hottest summer on record last year.

Temperatures soared across vast areas in Japan on Monday, topping 35 C for the first time this year, the third earliest "extremely hot day" on record.

The mercury hit 35.3 C in both Hita in southwestern Japan's Oita Prefecture and Toyooka in Hyogo Prefecture in the west, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.

It warned that high temperatures are expected to continue Tuesday and urged caution against heat-related illnesses.

The only years on record in which Japan saw its first moshobi -- a day with temperatures of 35 C or higher -- earlier than this year were 1993, when it was recorded on May 13, and 2023, on May 17.

Retailers are moving early to meet demand for cooling goods and heat-related services.

An official at general goods retailer Hands Inc said consumers are more conscious of the heat than in past years. The company has set up sections featuring cooling products and parasols at its outlets.

Handheld fans are among the top sellers, with compact models designed to provide stronger airflow proving particularly popular, the official added.

Meanwhile, air conditioners are drawing strong interest at consumer electronics retailers. Bic Camera Inc. says that now is a good time to buy one, citing the possibility that new models for next summer could become more expensive when Japan tightens energy-saving regulations for air conditioners in April 2027.

The retailer is encouraging customers to make their purchases and book installation services early before demand peaks later in the season.

Retail giant Aeon Co has designated about 5,000 group stores as "cooling spots," offering them as air-conditioned places where people can take breaks while shopping or seek temporary refuge from the outside heat. The company hopes customers will spend the day at its stores, free from concerns about electricity costs at home.

Among them, Aeon Mall Co is also expanding children's play areas at its shopping centers, hoping families will use them as alternatives to nearby parks.

To draw customers to its group supermarkets, Aeon plans to freeze price increases on about 3,500 private-brand food items through the end of August.

"We want to support our customers through our pricing, responding to the small daily sacrifices they have to make," said Mitsuko Tsuchiya, president of Chiba-based Aeon Topvalu Co.

© KYODO