The Tokyo Fire Department issued an ambulance shortage alert after emergency calls reached a record 3,454 cases on July 21 [1].

This surge reflects the growing strain on urban infrastructure during extreme weather events, as the city struggles to manage a spike in heat-related illnesses. The volume of calls has pushed the emergency response system to a critical threshold, potentially delaying care for other life-threatening conditions.

On July 21, 287 people were transported to hospitals on suspicion of heatstroke [1]. This figure represents the highest number of heatstroke-related transports recorded since 2022 [1]. The spike in medical emergencies coincided with intense heat across the Tokyo metropolitan area.

Emergency services continued to face pressure into the following day. By 9 a.m. on July 22, 10 people had already been transported for suspected heatstroke [1]. The Tokyo Fire Department monitored the situation as temperatures continued to climb.

At 10:30 a.m. on July 22, temperatures in central Tokyo reached 35 degrees Celsius [1]. The persistent heat has necessitated the "congestion alert," a warning used by the fire department to signal that ambulance availability is severely limited.

Local authorities are urging residents to take preventative measures to avoid heatstroke. The department said the high volume of calls is directly linked to the current heatwave, which has seen temperatures remain consistently high across the city center [1].

“Emergency calls reached a record 3,454 cases on July 21.”

The record-breaking surge in emergency calls highlights the vulnerability of Tokyo's emergency medical services to extreme heat. As heatstroke cases rise to levels not seen in years, the issuance of a congestion alert indicates that the city's ambulance capacity is being outpaced by climate-driven health crises, suggesting a need for increased seasonal surge capacity in urban healthcare.