• Japan and South Korea faced their hottest summers ever recorded, with temperatures significantly above historical averages.
• In Japan, the average summer temperature was 2.36°C higher than normal, marking the hottest summer since records began in 1898.
• South Korea's average summer temperature reached 25.7°C, surpassing last year's record of 25.6°C, prompting a national disaster declaration in some areas due to drought.

This summer has set new temperature records for Japan and South Korea, reflecting significant climate change impacts. According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, Japan’s average temperature from June to August was 2.36 degrees Celsius above the standard value, marking it the hottest summer since records began in 1898. This is now the third consecutive summer with such extreme temperature levels, demonstrating an alarming trend in the country’s climate, as pointed out by both Channel News Asia and South China Morning Post.

South Korea has also reported unprecedented heat, with an average summer temperature of 25.7 degrees Celsius, the highest since data collection began in 1973, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration. Last year's record stood at 25.6 degrees Celsius. This year's heat has contributed to significant health impacts, resulting in over 84,000 hospitalizations in Japan due to heat-related conditions, as noted by The Jakarta Post, Channel News Asia, and South China Morning Post.

The effects of this summer's heat are not limited to health; they are also having ecological repercussions. In Japan, beloved cherry trees are blooming earlier than usual, and the iconic snow cap of Mount Fuji has been absent for extended periods, indicating disturbing shifts in seasonal patterns. Environmental experts are linking these changes directly to climate change, which has also affected South Korea's weather, leading to severe drought in cities like Gangneung, where a national disaster has been declared due to water shortages, as reported by The Jakarta Post, Channel News Asia, and South China Morning Post.

Experts indicate that the exacerbation of this extreme weather pattern is a direct consequence of human-induced climate change, with scientists predicting similar weather conditions may recur in upcoming years due to ongoing global warming trends. Kim Hae-dong, a meteorologist from Keimyung University, noted that "the weakening of Arctic cold air due to global warming" is influencing these weather patterns, highlighting concerns shared by various scientific bodies, including The Jakarta Post and South China Morning Post.