Chapter 1: A Fatal Incident

In Hokkaido, a tragic incident has ignited a heated discussion regarding the absence of air conditioning in schools. An eight-year-old child succumbed to heatstroke, which has fueled public outrage over the insufficient cooling measures in educational institutions as global temperatures rise.

This week, many Japanese users on X, previously known as Twitter, expressed their dismay after learning of the child's death, which occurred in the typically cooler Hokkaido region, a place often sought for refuge from summer heat. However, this summer, even Hokkaido was not spared from extreme temperatures.

On August 22, in Date City, a second grader at Date Elementary School experienced a severe heatstroke episode after participating in outdoor physical education classes. A concerned teacher called emergency services, stating that a student had collapsed and was unconscious, with temperatures reaching 33.5 degrees Celsius at that time. Tragically, the girl was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at the hospital.

Chapter 2: The Heatwave's Impact

The summer heat has been relentless in Hokkaido, which has traditionally been a popular getaway for families seeking to escape the oppressive heat of mainland Japan. On the day of the incident, the Pacific anticyclone caused intense sunlight and soaring temperatures, with Sapporo recording its hottest day of the year at 35.1 degrees Celsius.

As a consequence of the severe heat, several elementary schools in Sapporo opted to dismiss students early to safeguard their health. On August 23, 17 schools in Kitami City preemptively canceled classes due to anticipated high temperatures.

The video titled "New Zealand skiers killed in Japan avalanche on Hokkaido's Mount Yotei" provides context on the dangers of extreme weather conditions, highlighting how adverse weather can lead to tragic outcomes.

Chapter 3: Mainland Struggles

The extreme temperatures have also affected school schedules on the mainland. On July 18, Nagoya City’s Board of Education ordered the cancellation of physical education classes across all city schools due to forecasts predicting temperatures soaring to 38 degrees Celsius. This unprecedented move impacted 415 schools, including elementary, middle, and high schools.

In Mie Prefecture, the Board of Education issued a directive for public high schools and schools for students with special needs to cancel extracurricular activities when temperatures exceeded 31 degrees Celsius, following a recent tragic incident where a middle school student died from heatstroke during club activities.

Chapter 4: Insufficient Cooling Facilities

The situation in Hokkaido's schools is particularly alarming, as a mere 16.5% of elementary and middle schools are equipped with air conditioning. For high schools, this figure is even lower at 0.7%, according to a report from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.

In contrast, Aomori Prefecture, located just south of Hokkaido, boasts much higher statistics, with 71.3% of its elementary and middle schools having air conditioning, and 100% for high schools. The national averages for cooling systems are 95.7% for elementary and middle schools, and 94.1% for high schools.

Chapter 5: Progress and Challenges

In Sapporo, 297 elementary and middle schools began planning the installation of air conditioning systems during the 2022 school year. However, only one-third of these institutions have completed the installation, while others are still in the planning or construction phases. The city has also resorted to using portable coolers, but only a quarter of classrooms have access to them due to budget constraints.

Mayor Katsuhiro Akimoto expressed a desire to expedite the installation of air conditioning, noting that progress is dependent on government funding. He aims to gradually increase the number of portable coolers to mitigate the impact of heat on classroom learning.

Chapter 6: Voices of Concern

Following the incident in Date City, 26 schools in Hokkaido canceled classes the following day, with 271 others sending students home early. Children at Yonesato Elementary School voiced their frustrations, stating they could not tolerate the heat due to the absence of cooling systems. One principal lamented that the portable coolers fail to adequately cool the entire room, leading students to cluster around them during breaks for relief.

In a letter to city officials, a concerned citizen from Hakodate City highlighted the inadequacy of the current measures, arguing that simply providing water and fans is insufficient for maintaining a safe learning environment in classrooms that resemble sauna conditions.

The city’s response pointed out that many school buildings are over 40 years old and require urgent renovations, which takes precedence over installing air conditioning systems. Retrofitting all classrooms nationwide is estimated to cost around 600 billion yen, according to architectural expert Masayoshi Takeuchi.

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