Data from Japan's Fire and Disaster Management Agency show 7,235 heatstroke patients were taken to hospital nationwide in June.

The figure is the second largest for the month of June since the statistics began in 2010, following 15,969 recorded in June of last year.

Two people died, 2,279 required hospitalization and 4,911 were in fair condition.

Among the total for the last month, more than half of the patients were aged 65 or older.

The largest number of patients suffered heatstroke inside houses, numbering 2,567, followed by on road, at 1,328.
The next most numerous cases were from outdoor locations such as sports grounds and parking lots, totaling 953.

The fire department calls on people to take thorough precautions against heatstroke by using air conditioners appropriately and drinking enough water.

In early June and the middle of the month, high pressure systems covered eastern and western Japan, pushing up temperatures to 30 degrees Celsius or more across Japan. Daytime highs even topped 35 degrees in eastern Japan in late June.