In many regions of Japan, temperatures have soared, with Hokkaido reaching a maximum temperature of 28.9°C in July. However, only 16.5% of classrooms in local public elementary and middle schools have air conditioning installed. To prevent students from suffering heatstroke, many schools in Hokkaido have installed portable air conditioners. The seats near the air conditioners are assigned by lottery, and students have to bring their portable fans.
According to a report by Yomiuri Shimbun, on July 4, the highest temperature in Sapporo was 28.9°C, which is 4.8°C higher than in previous years. Since most classrooms in elementary and middle schools do not have air conditioning, schools have adopted measures such as installing portable air conditioners and allowing students to use portable fans.
Local students in Hokkaido bring their desktop fans to class. (Photo / Screenshot from Yomiuri Shimbun)
In the case of a local city middle school first-grade class, 16 out of 32 students brought fans, and the school prohibits charging them on campus. A male student mentioned that he charges his fan before going to school and adjusts its use according to the situation.
According to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology, as of September 2022, the installation rate of air conditioning in ordinary classrooms of public elementary and middle schools across Japan was 95.7%, but in Hokkaido, it was only 16.5%. The local government has allocated a budget of 6.4 billion yen in 2024, planning to start installing air conditioners in 111 schools by 2026, aiming to cover all schools by the summer of 2028.
On August 23 last year, the temperature in Sapporo's Chuo Ward reached a record high of 36.3°C, the highest ever recorded.
