Unseasonably hot weather has covered wide areas in Japan, with temperatures rising 30 degrees Celsius or higher in prefectures in the southwestern region of Kyushu.



The Meteorological Agency says a high-pressure system brought sunny conditions mainly to western and eastern Japan on Wednesday. It says temperatures were pushed higher by warm air flowing in.



The mercury soared to 30.2 degrees in Saito City, Miyazaki Prefecture, shortly after 1 p.m. and 30 degrees in Saiki City, Oita Prefecture, past 1:30 p.m. It is the first time this year that the country has experienced temperatures exceeding 30 degrees.



The Japan Weather Association says the last time Japan recorded a temperature of 30 degrees or higher in March was in 1999. The record excludes temperatures registered on the remote island of Minamitorishima in the Ogasawara Island chain in the Pacific.



Central Tokyo also saw the temperature rising to 25.9 degrees.



Fierce winds are blowing in the southern Tohoku region along the Pacific coast, due to a low-pressure system and a front.



The maximum gust speed hit 126 kilometers per hour in Shiroishi City, Miyagi Prefecture, shortly after 10 a.m., marking the strongest since the city began record keeping in 2008.



Fierce winds halted Shinkansen bullet train services in northeastern Japan.



East Japan Railway says it has suspended services on the Tohoku Shinkansen line between Tokyo and Morioka stations since around 10:30 a.m. JR East says a wind gauge installed in Miyagi Prefecture recorded wind speed exceeding the limit for train operations.



The train services resumed around 6:10 p.m. after eight hours of suspension.



Strong winds are expected to continue for several hours in the Pacific coastal part of the southern Tohoku region. Weather officials are calling on people to be on the alert for effects on traffic and damage to buildings.