Japan Coins New Term for Superhot Days

Japan has come up with a new way to say it's ridiculously hot outside. The Japan Meteorological Agency will now use the term "kokushobi" in forecasts to flag days when temperature hits 40°C (104°F) or higher, reports Euro News. The term, which uses the character for "harsh" or "cruel," topped an online poll of about 203,000 people. It generally translates into "cruelly hot" or "brutally hot," per the BBC.

It's the first new heat category since 2007, when Japan added "moshobi" for days above 35°C. But "moshobi" evidently doesn't cut it anymore: Last summer was the nation's hottest since records began in 1898. Nine days between June and August crossed the 40°C line, including a national record of 41.8°C in Isesaki on August 5. The JMA is already warning of a hotter-than-normal summer ahead, with health risks and disruption to schools and outdoor work expected to grow. Globally, 2023, 2024, and 2025 rank as the three warmest years on record.