Prime Minister Takaichi has ordered the accelerated installation of air conditioning in school gymnasiums to reach a 100% installation rate ahead of schedule [2].
This move aims to protect citizens from rising heatstroke risks and ensure that facilities used as emergency shelters provide a safe environment during disasters.
The directive targets a goal originally set for the 2035 fiscal year [2]. According to data from May 2024, the installation rate for air conditioning in school gymnasiums and similar facilities stood at 33.1% [1].
Beyond school facilities, the Prime Minister is focusing on improving conditions for those displaced by natural disasters. Takaichi said there should be enhanced support in securing air conditioning and power-generation vehicles for shelters in areas affected by the Kumamoto earthquakes [3].
"I have given instructions to realize the 100% air conditioning installation rate for school gymnasiums, which was the goal through fiscal year 2035, ahead of schedule," Takaichi said [2].
The Prime Minister emphasized the need for a coordinated response to extreme heat, which has become a recurring public health challenge in Japan. The initiative focuses on gymnasiums because they frequently serve as the primary evacuation centers during seismic events, or floods.
"I want the efforts to secure air conditioning and power-generation vehicles in shelters to be strengthened to ensure a favorable evacuation environment," Takaichi said [2].
“I have given instructions to realize the 100% air conditioning installation rate for school gymnasiums... ahead of schedule”
By accelerating the 2035 deadline, the Japanese government is acknowledging that climate-driven heatwaves now pose an immediate threat to public safety, particularly for vulnerable populations in disaster shelters. The focus on power-generation vehicles suggests a shift toward mobile, resilient infrastructure to ensure cooling remains available even when the main power grid fails during a catastrophe.
