Japan: Tokyo will waive basic water utility fees for residents this summer in an effort to reduce the financial burden amid rising temperatures and prevent heat-related illnesses.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has allocated ¥36 billion ($250 million; £186 million) to cover the subsidies, which will be in effect for four months starting this June.
The decision comes after a record 263 people died of heatstroke in Tokyo last summer, according to the city’s Bureau of Public Health. Many victims either lacked air conditioning or avoided using it due to concerns over high electricity costs.
Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike said the fee waiver aims to ease residents’ living expenses so they feel less hesitant to use cooling appliances. “We are worried that people might refrain from using their air conditioners because they are concerned about living expenses and considered what we could do to help pay their bills,” Koike said.
Basic monthly water fees in Tokyo range from ¥860 ($6; £4.50) to ¥1,460 ($10; £7.50), depending on household water pipe size. While these base fees will be waived, charges for additional water usage will remain unchanged.
The Tokyo Fire Department reported that over 60 percent of indoor heatstroke deaths last summer occurred in homes where air conditioning was not turned on, underscoring the need for measures to encourage its use.
Tokyo, with a population of more than 14 million across 7 million households, experienced Japan’s hottest summer on record in 2023. Temperatures during June, July, and August were 1.76°C above the 1991-2020 average, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.
Between June and September last year, nearly 8,000 people in Tokyo were hospitalized due to heatstroke, with the elderly disproportionately affected. The government hopes the water fee waiver will help residents manage the intense summer heat and reduce health risks this year.
