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Countermeasures against heat stroke in local governments in the Kyushu region

Publication date April 22, 2021
Sector Life of Citizenry and Urban Life
Region name Kyushu

Climate change impacts

The average annual temperature of Kyushu region and Yamaguchi prefecture has been rising at a rate of 1.73℃ per 100 years due to global warming, urbanization, and natural fluctuations (Note 1). In northern Kyushu, the annual number of days when the maximum daily temperature exceeded 30 degrees Celsius has increased by 3.2 days per decade (Note 2).

Adaptation activity

In response to these rising temperatures, local authorities in the Kyushu region are taking measures to mitigate against heat stroke. The websites of local governments provide information on heat stroke, including symptoms, first aid, preventive measures, statistics on related ambulance callouts and so on. In Fukuoka prefecture, online videos are distributed to raise awareness of the issue (Fig. 1). In Kumamoto prefecture, health information leaflets have been distributed to residents of evacuation centers, emergency housing, public housing, etc. for the benefit of victims of the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake and the heavy rains of July 2020, and local authorities are working to strengthen preventive measures against heat stroke.

In 2020, with the emergence of Covid-19, the national "New Lifestyles" initiative promoted ① social distancing, ② wearing masks, ③ washing hands and avoiding the "Three Cs” (closed spaces, crowded places, close-contact settings), the three basics of infection prevention. In this context however, there are concerns that susceptibility to heat from wearing masks, the obstruction to expelling heat through exhalation, and the delay in noticing dehydration due to impaired thirst response may all contribute to an increase in heat stroke. Local authorities are therefore advocating additional measures against heat stroke as part of the "New Lifestyles" program. Some municipalities use materials from Ministry of the Environment and Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, while others, like Oita prefecture, use their own mascot characters to make information more accessible (Fig. 2).

Outputs / Expected benefits

Through prefectural websites, and those of associated organizations and municipalities, it is expected that there will be increased awareness in the region of measures that can be taken against heat stroke, particularly in vulnerable groups such as children and the elderly.

図1 動画配信による普及啓発活動画像

Fig. 1 Awareness-raising through online video programming
(Source: Fukuoka Internet TV "Prevention of heat stroke during sports activities")

図1 大災害時多言語通訳サービスのイメージ画像

Fig. 2 Public awareness promotion materials using region-specific mascot characters
(Source: Oita prefecture website: "Be aware of heat stroke! – also in order to prevent spread the Covid-19 infection!")

Footnote
(Note 1) Statistical period: 1898-2019
(Note 2) Statistical period: 1963 to 2019

Sources and Related Information
Fukuoka Prefecture Website, "Be aware of heat stroke! (Provision of information on heat stroke prevention)" (Updated July 15, 2020)
https://www.pref.fukuoka.lg.jp/contents/netu.html
Fukuoka Internet TV: Prevention of Heat Stroke during Sports Activities (Updated June 8, 2016)
Fukuoka Prefecture "Fukuoka Prefecture General Environmental Vision (Fourth Fukuoka Prefecture General Environmental Plan)" (Updated April 1, 2018)
https://www.pref.fukuoka.lg.jp/contents/env-vision.html
Oita Prefecture website, "Be aware of heat stroke!!!" (updated on May 27, 2020)
Oita Prefectural Department of Welfare and Health, "Be aware of heat stroke!!! to prevent the spread of new coronavirus infections!"
https://www.pref.oita.jp/uploaded/attachment/2081321.pdf
Saga Prefecture website, "Please note heat stroke" (updated October 1, 2020)
https://www.pref.saga.lg.jp/kiji00347065/index.html
Saga Prefecture Website, "Prevention of Heat Stress in New Lifestyles Assuming New Coronavirus" (updated on June 4, 2020)
Kumamoto Prefecture Website: "Please pay attention to heat stroke! Please also ask the people around us to ask them about heat stroke prevention actions in FY2020 (FY2020)" (updated on October 1, 2020)
https://www.pref.kumamoto.jp/kiji_11979.html
Kumamoto Prefecture, "Kumamoto Earthquake Digital Archive-Health Information Leaflet"
https://www.kumamoto-archive.jp/post/58-99991jl0004fpz
Kumamoto Prefecture "Fifth Kumamoto Prefecture Basic Environment Plan (FY2016-32)" (renewed on August 1, 2020)
https://www.pref.kumamoto.jp/soshiki/49/5523.html
Miyazaki Prefecture, "Be aware of heat stroke."
https://www.pref.miyazaki.lg.jp/kenkozoshin/kenko/hoken/page00159.html
Climate Change Monitoring Report 2019 of Kyushu and Yamaguchi Prefectures, Fukuoka District Meteorological Observatory (May 2020)
https://www.jma-net.go.jp/fukuoka/kaiyo/chikyu/report/report.html