My impression of summer was always open and positive, with things like swimming in the sea, mountain climbing, fireworks, outdoor concerts, camping, and the Obon holidays. I deliberately used the past tense because my impression of summer is no longer open and positive. At least my impression has worsened considerably.

My impression of summer these days is full of negative things that threaten life, such as punishing heatwaves, deadly heatstroke, and disasters caused by relentless heavy rains, and when summer comes, I am hit with anxiety and depression. I can’t feel elated at all.

Everything is the work of natural phenomena, so there is nothing humans can do about it, but the impression of summer has changed drastically in the past decade. It’s amazing. It’s probably proof that the global environment is changing so drastically.

The heatwaves are getting more intense every year. At the end of last month, temperatures reached 41 degrees in Sano City, Tochigi Prefecture, and six places were recorded with temperatures over 40 degrees. If temperatures of over 40 degrees continued for consecutive days, would humans be able to survive? Is Japan gradually moving away from an environment where humans can live? Such concerns are even emerging.
Disasters are becoming more severe every year. The term “linear precipitation band” has become firmly established, but in the past, there was no such thing as abnormally heavy rain falling continuously in almost the same place for several hours.
An amateur has no idea when and where a linear precipitation band will occur. This is why we must be constantly on edge.
The relentless heat that has continued day after day has me indulging in religious contemplation, wondering if the Japanese have done something bad that has angered the gods.
Japan’s summer has completely changed from a pleasant one to a harsh one, but how long will this harsh summer continue? Is it like this every year? Or is it a temporary phenomenon, and after a while we will return to the relatively stable and pleasant summers of the past?
No one knows what the future holds, but we’ve had enough of this cruel summer. I just want it to pass quickly. (Kitajima Kei)

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