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2 clusters · 3 sources · 10 days · First seen · Last updated

Japanese agricultural heat adaptation

Overview

Agricultural workers in Japan are increasingly adopting nocturnal work schedules to mitigate the life-threatening risks posed by intensifying summer heatwaves. With outdoor temperatures frequently exceeding 35 degrees Celsius and greenhouse environments reaching above 40 degrees Celsius, farmers—including those producing flowers, asparagus, and eggs—are shifting labor to nighttime and early morning hours to avoid heatstroke.

The vulnerability is heightened by Japan’s aging demographic, as approximately 70 percent of farmers are 65 or older. The necessity of this shift is underscored by rising mortality rates; in 2024, a record 59 agricultural workers in Japan died from extreme heat, more than doubling the death toll from 2021. This transition toward nighttime labor reflects a broader global trend among agricultural workers attempting to adapt to rising temperatures.

Entities

Motoaki Iijima · Japan · Nikko

Timeline

  1. 25 days ago

    [INTERNATIONAL] 3 sources
    Japan farmers shift to nighttime work to combat extreme heat

    Japanese farmers are shifting to nighttime work to avoid life-threatening heatwaves, as temperatures in greenhouses can exceed 40 degrees Celsius.

  2. about 1 month ago

    [INTERNATIONAL] 3 sources
    Japan farmers adopt nocturnal schedules to survive extreme heat

    Japanese farmers are shifting to nocturnal work schedules to survive extreme summer heatwaves that have caused a record 59 agricultural deaths in the country in 2024.

Sources

augsburger-allgemeine.de · cancan.ro · faz.net