Japan national record high for June broken

h/t James from an interesting piece about Fukushima, Japan, and nuclear power. 40 C is 104 F, to save you the trouble.

Sataima sees 39.8 C as heatwave covers Japan

Temperatures soared across the Japanese archipelago Friday [June 24 2011], with the mercury reaching 39.8 C in Kumagaya, Saitama Prefecture, a record high for June, due to hot and humid wind flowing from the south, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.

The scorching heat observed in Kumagaya at 2:20 p.m. exceeded Japan’s previous record for June of 38.3 C logged on June 27, 1991, in Shizuoka city, Shizuoka Prefecture.