With the rising energy prices and the ever-growing shortage of resources, Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry has urged the 37 million people in the country and the neighbourhood to start consuming less electricity.
The ministry expects that the demand for power will gradually increase. It stated that people should start switching off the unnecessary lights for three hours from 3:00 pm Tokyo time (07:00 BST). But advised them to continue using the air conditioners to avoid heatstroke.
Officials have warned that a power crunch is expected as the temperatures are rising.
Over the past weekend, the temperature in central Tokyo rose above 35℃, while in Isesaki, northwest of the capital, the temperature rose to 42.2℃.
This is the highest temperature that has ever been recorded in the month of June for Japan.
Japanese public broadcaster NHK recently observed that at least 46 people in Tokyo had recently been hospitalized due to suspected heatstroke.
Usually, summers in Japan typically stay below 30C.
In an announcement, the ministry stated that the excess generating capacity for electricity was soon expected to drop to 3.7%.
The reason behind Japan’s power crunch
Since the operations of certain nuclear power reactors’ had to be suspended in March as a result of an earthquake in Japan’s northeast, the country has had a limited supply of electricity.
In an effort to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, officials have also shut down a number of outdated fossil fuel plants. As a result of this, there is a power shortage and a rise in electrical consumption.
How is the Japanese government tackling this situation?
With temperature across the country soaring, the government has requested its citizens to minimize their consumption of energy.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has given his approval that all those nuclear plants which have not been in use since the 2011 Fukushima disaster to be activated again.
To the best extent possible, four nuclear reactors that have already been given permission to restart operations will be used to help resolve the energy crisis.
He also stated that soon more nuclear reactors will be reopened to meet the rising power demand.