Japan, “turn off unnecessary lights”

Reduce electricity consumption. This is what the Japanese government asked the inhabitants of Tokyo and surrounding areas, the population and businesses. The scorching heat grips the country. A targeted request for today, for the time slot 15-18, which arose from the increase in demand, as reported by the Kyodo agency in the aftermath of the alarm launched by the Ministry of Industry with an invitation to the population in the area served by Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco) to reduce and optimize energy consumption, for example by turning off unnecessary lights. An appeal which, according to the BBC, affects 37 million people. To avoid the risk of interruptions. But the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry still insists on the “appropriate” use of air conditioning to avoid heat stroke during hot hours. Over the weekend, highlights the BBC, temperatures in Tokyo exceeded 35 degrees. In Isesaki, northwest of the capital, there was a record of 40.2 degrees. Never in Japan had there been such a hot June. According to Mainichi Shimbun, more than 250 people were taken to hospital over the weekend in the capital for heatstroke. The rainy season in Tokyo and surrounding areas seems to be over, and has never ended so early since 1951, since the data are available, the Meteorological Agency of Japan said, as Kyodo herself writes. Rainy season also ended in the Tokai region, in the center of the country, and in the Kyushu region, in the south. The situation was described as “unpredictable” by the ministry. The suppliers are hard at work. But, the ministry warned yesterday according to the BBC, “if there is an increase in demand and sudden supply problems, the reserve margin will fall below the required minimum of 3%”. In recent days, the government had already launched an appeal to save as much as possible on energy during the summer. Last March an earthquake in the northeast forced some power plants to suspend operations and several old plants were closed to limit carbon dioxide emissions.