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A Swiss court on Wednesday weighed up whether to hear a landmark climate case pitting residents of a tiny Indonesian island being swallowed by rising sea levels against cement giant Holcim.”It is like a David versus Goliath struggle,” one of the plaintiffs, Asmania, who like many Indonesians goes by one name, told AFP after the hearing.The case is part of a wider international movement seeking to assign to major companies responsibility for the climate damage hurting the livelihoods of millions of people, especially in developing countries.Oil companies have typically been the biggest targets, but climate activists are hoping the suit against Holcim will highlight the role of a lesser-known but highly polluting industry, which is responsible for around eight percent of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted into the atmosphere each year.Four residents of Pari island filed a suit demanding compensation from the world’s largest cement firm for the damage wrought by climate change and help to fund protection measures on the island.Asmania and another plaintiff travelled to Switzerland to take part in Wednesday’s hearing at the court in Zug, where Holcim is headquartered, to determine whether or not it will consider the complaint.It was not clear when the court would give its decision.- ‘Climate justice’ -“I feel very moved,” Asmania, a 42-year-old mother-of-three, told AFP.”I believe the judges will stand for us, so we will win.” Before the hearing, Holcim maintained that “the question of who is allowed to emit how much CO2” should be “a matter for the legislature and not a question for a civil court”. But it said Wednesday that “we await the court’s decision”, insisting that it was “fully committed to reaching net zero by 2050 with sustainability at the core of our strategy”. The company has not owned any cement plants in Indonesia since 2019, but the plaintiffs maintain it “shares responsibility for rising temperatures and thus rising sea levels”, explained Yvan Maillard-Ardenti of the Swiss Church Aid (HEKS) NGO helping the islanders.  Environmentalists say Holcim ranks among the world’s 100 biggest corporate CO2 emitters, and so bears significant responsibility for climate-related loss and damage.The case illustrates the new face of the climate fight, as activists use the courts rather than rely on political action in the fight against global warming.If accepted, it could be a milestone for plaintiffs from developing countries who take on industrial giants.- ‘Inspirational’ -Environmentalists have said 11 percent of the 42-hectare (104-acre) island of Pari has already disappeared in recent years, and it could be completely under water by 2050 due to rising sea levels.The islanders say saltwater floods have surged in scale and frequency, battering homes and damaging livelihoods.Asmania has already lost her seaweed farm because of flooding, which has also blighted her fish farm.”We are the climate victims, but we are not contributing to big emissions,” she said.”It is our survival that is at stake.”The four plaintiffs are seeking 3,600 Swiss francs ($4,500) each from Holcim for damages and for protection measures such as planting mangroves and constructing breakwater barriers.HEKS stressed that the amount was only equivalent to 0.42 percent of the actual costs — in line with estimates that Holcim is responsible for 0.42 percent of global industrial CO2 emissions since 1750.In addition, the plaintiffs are demanding a 43 percent reduction in Holcim’s greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and a 69 percent reduction by 2040.”The contrast is enormous between this island, which is disappearing, and the wealth we have here in Zug,” Maillard-Ardenti said.”This wealth comes from large multinationals like Holcim, (which) have never paid a single franc in climate compensation,” he said, stressing that the total 14,000 francs requested by the plaintiffs was “less than an hour’s salary for the chairman of Holcim’s board”.

A global bond selloff extended on Wednesday, sending yields in Japan to record levels, and gold reached a new peak, as investors fret over mounting government debt.European equities firmed while Asia’s major stock markets were in the red.”Government bond yields have jumped sharply in recent days, largely because investors are demanding a higher return to lend to countries with heavy borrowing needs,” said Richard Carter, head of fixed interest research at Quilter Cheviot. Yields on 30-year Japanese government bonds rose to an all-time high of 3.29 percent on Wednesday, while 20-year yields reached their highest since 1999.The selloff in Japanese debt mirrors widespread moves in the United States and Europe, with investors spooked over substantial piles of government debt globally.It has been fuelled by “ballooning sovereign debt, political hurdles to fiscal tightening… and structurally higher inflation following the Covid disruptions and the ongoing trade war”, said Ipek Ozkardeskaya, senior analyst at Swissquote Bank.Investors in Japan reacted also to concerns that Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba might soon be forced to step down.Ishiba, 68, took the helm of the long-dominant Liberal Democratic Party last year and has since lost his majority in both houses of parliament, most recently in upper chamber elections in July.In the United States, the 30-year government bond yield hovered around the five-percent mark, reflecting concerns over the country’s deficit and President Donald Trump’s fiscal policiesBritain’s selloff pushed on, albeit at a slower pace, after 30-year gilt yields on Tuesday hit levels not seen since 1998. French and German bonds, meanwhile, showed signs of stabilising.  Traders have turned to traditional safe havens, pushing gold to a fresh high of $3,546.96 an ounce Wednesday.Prices have risen five percent over the last six days, with investors nervous over the US Federal Reserve’s future after Trump attempted to fire Fed Governor Lisa Cook.She is accused of claiming two primary residences on mortgage documents in 2021 — a move that tends to result in better loan terms for an individual property.Cook has not been charged with a crime, while the alleged incidents occurred before she took office as a Fed governor in 2022.Trump’s intervention “raises questions about the long-term independence of US monetary policy — a concern that gold naturally absorbs as a hedge against political interference”, said Ole Hansen, head of commodity strategy at Saxo bank.Oil prices dropped back amid expectations of excess supply in the coming months.In company news, shares in Google parent Alphabet surged in after-hours trading Tuesday after a US judge rejected the government’s bid to force the company to sell its Chrome web browser.- Key figures at around 1100 GMT -London – FTSE 100: UP 0.5 percent at 9,162.59 pointsParis – CAC 40: UP 0.9 percent at 7,723.75Frankfurt – DAX: UP 0.7 percent at 23,659.63Tokyo – Nikkei 225: DOWN 0.9 percent at 41,938.89 (close)Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: DOWN 0.6 percent at 25,343.43 (close)Shanghai – Composite: DOWN 1.2 percent at 3,813.56 (close)New York – Dow: DOWN 0.6 percent at 45,295.81 (close)Euro/dollar: UP at 1.1645 from $1.1640 on TuesdayPound/dollar: UP at 1.3404 at from $1.3394Dollar/yen: UP at 148.69 from 148.37 yen Euro/pound: DOWN at 86.87 pence from 86.92 penceBrent North Sea Crude: DOWN 2.0 percent at $67.75 per barrelWest Texas Intermediate: DOWN 2.3 percent at $64.07 per barrel

A global bond selloff extended into Asia on Wednesday with yields in Japan hitting record levels, while gold reached a new peak as investors fret about public finances in countries from Japan to the United States.Investors in Japan are also reacting to concerns that Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba might soon be forced to step down after the number two in his ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) offered to quit on Tuesday over July’s disastrous upper house election.Asian indexes were largely in the red, with Tokyo down 0.9 percent and Shanghai more than one percent lower at the close.European markets opened higher.Yields on 30-year Japanese government bonds rose to an all-time high of 3.29 percent, while 20-year yields reached 2.69 percent — their highest since 1999.”The Japanese 30-year yield’s breach of 3.25 percent may prove far more destabilising than local politics,” Stephen Innes of SPI Asset Management wrote in a note.”A clean break above that threshold doesn’t just unsettle Japanese savers; it forces insurers, pensions, and reserve managers worldwide to recalibrate their models. Once those rebalancing dominoes start to fall, equity markets everywhere feel the aftershocks,” Innes said.Japan is due to hold a 30-year bond auction on Thursday, though buyer interest has been muted.”The selloff in long-duration bonds is fuelled by several factors: concerns over ballooning sovereign debt, political hurdles to fiscal tightening… and structurally higher inflation,” said Ipek Ozkardeskaya, senior analyst at Swissquote Bank.The selloff in Japanese debt mirrors widespread moves in the United States and Europe, with investors spooked over substantial piles of government debt globally.The US 30-year yield flirted with the five-percent mark, while Britain’s 30-year gilt yield climbed to levels not seen since 1998. In France, the 30-year yield spiked to 4.5 percent for the first time since 2009 — highlighting concerns around a budget standoff in Paris.Traders have been turning to traditional safe havens, pushing gold to a record high of $3,546.96 an ounce.Prices have risen five percent over the last six days, with traders nervous over the US Federal Reserve’s future after President Donald Trump attempted to fire Fed Governor Lisa Cook.”President Trump’s return to the White House may have altered investor preference of safe havens,” said Carol Kong of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia.”Gold outperformed, gaining more than 30 percent year‑to‑date. The risk is the USD further loses its safe haven appeal if President Trump continues to undermine the independence of key US institutions, particularly the Federal Reserve.”- Key figures at around 0830 GMT -Tokyo – Nikkei 225: DOWN 0.9 percent at 41,938.89 (close)Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: DOWN 0.6 percent at 25,343.43 (close)Shanghai – Composite: DOWN 1.2 percent at 3,813.56 (close) London – FTSE 100: UP 0.4 percent at 9,151.80Paris – CAC 40: UP 0.8 percent at 7,715.60Frankfurt – DAX: UP 0.5 percent at 23,611.50New York – Dow: DOWN 0.6 percent at 45,295.81 (close)Euro/dollar: DOWN at 1.1632 from $1.1640 on TuesdayPound/dollar: DOWN at 1.3365 at from $1.3394Dollar/yen: UP at 148.78 from 148.37 yen Euro/pound: UP at 87.03 pence from 86.92 penceBrent North Sea Crude: DOWN 0.3 at $68.91 per barrelWest Texas Intermediate: DOWN 0.3 percent at $65.39 per barrel

The CEO of Japanese spirits giant Suntory who resigned over a drugs probe said Wednesday he was innocent, and that he was recommended cannabidiol to cope with his hard travel schedule. Takeshi Niinami, one of Japan’s best-known business people, quit this week after he was put under investigation regarding his involvement in supplements sent from the United States to Japan. “I have not broken the law and consider myself innocent,” Niinami told a press conference. The 66-year-old said he believed he bought products with the active ingredient cannabidiol, or CBD, that do not break Japan’s strict drug law.   “I travel frequently for work, so I suffer terribly from jet lag,” said Niinami who has served as an economic adviser to Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.”That’s why my acquaintance… strongly recommended CBD.” Japan has strict drug laws and possession can result in jail time. The rule Japan introduced in 2023 leaves CBD products unregulated, but it targets THC — the psychoactive substance that makes people high.Niinami was suspected of importing products containing THC, local media reported. But he said he used to buy the same product in Japan, and believed those in the US were safe to purchase. Police searched his home last month after the arrest of the brother of an acquaintance who received a package containing supplements from the United States.Public broadcaster NHK said police learnt that the brother intended to send it to Niinami’s house in Tokyo.The former CEO, however, said he “was not informed of this at all, and it is unclear whether it is the supplements I purchased”. Suntory on Tuesday said the company had accepted Niinami’s resignation, saying authorities will determine whether the supplements are illegal.However, company president Nobuhiro Torii said the company concluded that Niinami’s actions “inevitably fall short of the qualities required” of a CEO.Niinami will refrain from activities as the head of business lobby Keizai Doyukai for the moment and leave the decision whether he will stay in the group. He joined Suntory Holdings in 2014, after serving as CEO of convenience store chain Lawson.Suntory is known for its internationally acclaimed whisky and has become one of the world’s biggest spirits makers after acquiring the US maker of Jim Beam, a few months before Niinami joined. In 2024, the German-born former CEO of optical equipment firm Olympus was found guilty of a drug charge.In 2017, a German executive working at Volkswagen’s Tokyo office was arrested on suspicion of drug use.

President Donald Trump’s administration has revoked Taiwanese semiconductor giant TSMC’s authorization to export US chipmaking equipment to China without a license, further restricting access to US technology in the country.The move comes as the US Commerce Department moved to end the “validated end-user” (VEU) program allowing select foreign semiconductor manufacturers to export US-origin goods and tech license-free to make chips in China.”TSMC has received notification from the US Government that our VEU authorization for TSMC Nanjing will be revoked effective December 31, 2025,” said a spokesperson for Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company on Tuesday.”While we are evaluating the situation and taking appropriate measures, including communicating with the US government, we remain fully committed to ensuring the uninterrupted operation of TSMC Nanjing,” TSMC added in a statement.TSMC is the world’s largest contract maker of chips that are used in everything from smartphones to missiles, and counts Nvidia and Apple among its clients.But the center of its most advanced manufacturing remains in Taiwan, the self-ruled island Beijing claims as part of its territory.Taiwan’s economic ministry said Wednesday that the US move was expected to “affect the predictability of the plant’s future operations.”However, the ministry pointed out that TSMC’s Nanjing plant only accounts for around three percent of its total production capacity and “even lower” of the island’s overall chip production. “We estimate that this will not affect Taiwan’s overall industrial competitiveness,” it said in a statement.On Friday, the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security said that former VEU participants will have 120 days after the new rule is published in the Federal Register to apply for and receive export licenses.But while the bureau plans to grant licenses to allow these businesses to run existing China-based plants, it does not plan to issue licenses for them “to expand capacity or upgrade technology,” it said.

Stock markets fell and gold hit a record high Tuesday as investors fled to safe havens over concerns about US President Donald Trump’s Federal Reserve fight, tariffs uncertainty and Europe’s public finances.Wall Street’s main indices spent the entire session in the red after investors returned from the Labor Day holiday, while European stock markets lost significant ground at the close.The borrowing costs of the United States, France and Britain rose as the yield on their sovereign bonds jumped.Frankfurt’s DAX index shed 2.3 percent while London lost 0.9 percent.”September can be a strange month for financial markets, as stocks historically tend to underperform,” noted Kathleen Brooks, research director at XTB traders. “However, a selloff in the bond market and a rush to the dollar and gold are signs that investors are rushing into safe havens and liquid assets,” she added.Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at investing and trading platform IG, said “markets often see a burst of volatility after US holidays, but today seemed to have something more about it, as European markets nosedived in early trading and bond yields continued to rise.” Near 2030 GMT, gold stood at $3,536.56 an ounce Tuesday, easily topping its previous record of $3,500.10 in April.Wall Street analysts pointed to the drag from a US court ruling Friday blocking many of Trump’s tariffs. The US president has vowed to appeal.”We’re thrown back in that place of uncertainty” regarding trade, said Art Hogan of B. Riley Wealth Management.The court decision, and Trump’s appeal, “prolongs the end or the exit from this trade war,” said Hogan, dashing hopes the trade war was nearing an end.Investors were also watching developments in Trump’s bid to oust Fed Governor Lisa Cook, with a court hearing her challenge on Tuesday.The case has major implications for the US central bank and its independence.”Investors are increasingly concerned about President Trump’s interference with the running of the US Federal Reserve,” said David Morrison, senior market analyst at financial service firm Trade Nation.”This combination of tariff uncertainty, Fed concerns, and seasonal weakness left markets on edge as the month began,” Morrison said.The yield on 30-year Treasury bonds rose to almost five percent.The dollar, however, rallied against the euro and British pound as French and UK government borrowing costs hit multi-year highs.France’s long-term borrowing cost jumped to its highest level since the eurozone debt crisis in 2011 as investors fret over a confidence vote next week that could topple the minority government.The yield on 30-year government bonds topped 4.5 percent ahead of Monday’s vote, which was called by Prime Minister Francois Bayrou to settle a budget fight but which he is tipped to lose.The yield on 30-year UK government bonds hit the highest level since 1998 owing to worries over Britain’s struggling economy.On the corporate front, shares in Nestle retreated around 0.7 percent after the Swiss food giant sacked chief executive Laurent Freixe, citing a romantic relationship with a direct subordinate.- Key figures at around 2030 GMT -New York – Dow: DOWN 0.6 percent at 45,295.81 (close)New York – S&P 500: DOWN 0.7 percent at 6,415.54 (close) New York – Nasdaq: DOWN 0.8 percent at 21,279.63 (close)London – FTSE 100: DOWN 0.9 percent at 9,116.69 (close)Paris – CAC 40: DOWN 0.7 percent at 7,654.25 (close)Frankfurt – DAX: DOWN 2.3 percent at 23,494.74 (close)Tokyo – Nikkei 225: UP 0.3 percent at 42,310.49 (close)Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: DOWN 0.5 percent at 25,496.55 (close)Shanghai – Composite: DOWN 0.5 percent at 3,858.13 (close)Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1640 from $1.1711 on MondayPound/dollar: DOWN at 1.3394 at from $1.3545Dollar/yen: UP at 148.37 from 147.18 yen Euro/pound: UP at 86.92 pence from 86.45 penceBrent North Sea Crude: UP 1.5 percent at $69.14 per barrelWest Texas Intermediate: UP 2.5 percent at $65.59 per barrelburs-jmb/dw

One of Japan’s best-known business people has resigned as CEO of beverage giant Suntory after police raided his house in an illegal drugs probe, the company and media reports said Tuesday.Takeshi Niinami, 66, was put under police investigation regarding “supplements he purchased under the belief that they were legal,” Suntory president Nobuhiro Torii told a news conference.Police searched Niinami’s house in August, but he has denied involvement, and no illegal drugs have been found, according to Jiji Press and other media.The company on Monday accepted Niinami’s “request to resign for personal reasons” following discussions after he returned to Japan, Torii said.Authorities will determine whether the supplements are illegal, Torii said, without giving further details of the case.However, he said Suntory concluded that Niinami’s actions “inevitably fall short of the qualities required” of CEO.Citing unnamed investigators, broadcaster Nippon TV said Niinami was suspected of importing products containing THC, an active ingredient in cannabis, from the United States.During the search Niinami reportedly told police that “a female acquaintance sent it to him unsolicited”.Niinami, who also serves as the head of the country’s business lobby, joined Suntory Holdings in 2014, after serving as CEO of convenience store chain Lawson.Suntory is known for its world-famous whisky and the company’s brands include Jim Beam bourbon, Laphroaig whisky and Courvoisier cognac.It acquired the US maker of Jim Beam for $16 billion, a few months before Niinami joined, to become one of the world’s biggest spirits makers.Niinami is known as a vocal business leader. He openly criticised Japan’s former biggest boyband agency following revelations about decades of sex abuse by its late founder in 2023.Japan has strict drug laws and possession can result in jail time. In 2024, the German-born former CEO of optical equipment firm Olympus was found guilty of a drug charge.In 2017, a German executive working at Volkswagen’s Tokyo office was arrested on suspicion of drug use.

Government gestures to calm deadly protests in Indonesia have done little to address the economic inequality and hardship fuelling the unrest, leaving deep resentment to linger and flare up again, experts say.The country’s worst violence in decades left at least six people dead and 20 missing, with rallies over lavish perks for lawmakers descending into angry riots against police after officers were filmed running over a young delivery driver.Southeast Asia’s biggest economy recorded a surge in growth in the second quarter of the year on the back of manufacturing and export demand, which President Prabowo Subianto hailed, but everyday Indonesians are not seeing the data reflected in their wallets.Instead they view a corrupt political class enriching itself and failing to listen to the public, while inequality grows between the rich and the poor, experts said.”This is caused by economic issues. Some economic policies left the public quite annoyed or even angry,” said Nailul Huda, economist at the Center of Economics and Law Studies (CELIOS).”If economic growth is true, it will be felt by the lower-class society. Terminations are everywhere, and layoffs have increased up to 30 percent, which is quite high,” he added.Lavish benefits for lawmakers including a $3,000 housing allowance, which is nearly 10 times the minimum wage in the capital Jakarta, stirred the initial anger in protests last week before the driver’s death.The protests made Prabowo and parliament leaders U-turn and offer to revoke some perks, including issuing a moratorium on overseas visits.But their moves have likely not gone far enough to address the underlying grievances of the wider public.”The government appears insensitive to these concerns,” said Nailul. “This has become the root of the administration’s problems over the past four days.”Rising anger against the elite has manifested itself in looting, including the homes of several politicians.It has not been confined to capital Jakarta either, with local and provincial council buildings set on fire or attacked with rocks and Molotov cocktails in cities across the country. – ‘Govt fails to deliver’ -Prabowo had already faced smaller protests in February over widespread budget cuts to fund populist policies, including a billion-dollar free meal programme and new sovereign wealth fund Danantara.”The budgets that were supposed to be utilised by other sectors are being diverted to popular programmes which most likely still have many problems,” said Jahen Fachrul Rezki, an economic researcher at the University of Indonesia.Around 42,000 people were also laid off between January and June, a 32 percent rise on last year, according to the Ministry of Manpower. “It might be true that our economy is expanding, but who’s benefiting from the growth? Probably just capital owners,” Jahen said.A cost-of-living crisis is being felt by many as the country struggles with a shrinking middle class and slower income growth compared to rising prices because of inflation, according to Jahen.”The government claimed that we have an increase of rice supply, but it is not reflected in the price,” he said.According to Statistics Indonesia on Monday, the price of the staple good increased by more than six percent on last year.The number of people living below the poverty line in metropolitan Jakarta — a megalopolis of around 11 million people — was up from 362,000 in 2019 to 449,000 as of September 2024, government data says.”The government initially promised during the campaign that there would be job opportunities, education, and no more layoffs,” said Nailul. “But the government fails to deliver.”- ‘A matter of time’ -One of Prabowo’s early moves was to announce Indonesia would hike its value-added tax to 12 percent, before reversing after a backlash and saying it would only apply to luxury goods.”It is neither feasible nor wise for the government to raise VAT rates when people’s purchasing power is declining,” said Nailul.The death of the delivery driver, Affan Kurniawan, also stoked anger because workers like him have faced bigger pay deductions and longer working hours due to the economic situation.Such conditions mean many Indonesians will still feel the economic pain in the coming months, leaving the door open for fresh protests.”The protests on the streets probably will come down in the next few days, but it’s just a matter of time until public anger resurfaces again,” said Ray Rangkuti, political analyst at think tank Lingkar Madani.”Because we’re not addressing the issues, we’re just covering them up,” Rangkuti added.

Gold hit a record high Tuesday as a weaker dollar and expectations of a US interest rate cut made the safe haven an attractive investment.Stocks, meanwhile, were mixed as investors awaited fresh direction from Wall Street after it was closed on Monday for Labor Day.Gold reached $3,501.59 an ounce during early trading in Asia, soaring past its previous record of $3,500.10 in April.”The rally reflects a softer dollar but also strong central-bank and institutional demand as investors rotate out of US Treasuries,” said Ipek Ozkardeskaya at Swissquote Bank.”The share of US Treasuries held by foreign central banks has been declining for over a decade, but that shift into gold accelerated this year amid US debt concerns, ratings downgrades, trade tensions and geopolitical risks,” she said.On equity markets, Tokyo, Seoul and Jakarta were all up, while Hong Kong and Shanghai turned negative after early gains.On the Hang Seng, Alibaba was down slightly a day after rocketing almost 20 percent following bumper results and a surge in AI revenue.”While US giants face mounting questions around AI monetization and stretched valuations, Chinese firms are showing tangible earnings lift from AI and cloud,” Charu Chanana at Saxo Markets told AFP.The Japanese corporate world was, meanwhile, rocked by the shock resignation of the CEO of drinks giant Suntory over an illegal drugs probe.Oil prices moved higher ahead of a weekend OPEC+ meeting to decide on output for October. The cartel is expected to keep supplies unchanged.- Key figures at around 0700 GMT -Tokyo – Nikkei 225: UP 0.3 percent at 42,310.49 (close)Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: DOWN 0.3 percent at 25,535.03Shanghai – Composite: UP 0.7 percent at 3,849.79New York – Dow: Closed Monday for a public holidayEuro/dollar: UP at 1.1704 from $1.1705 on MondayPound/dollar: DOWN at 1.3526 at from $1.3547Dollar/yen: UP at 148.00 from 147.27 yen Euro/pound: DOWN at 86.53 pence from 86.57 penceBrent North Sea Crude: UP 0.6 percent at $68.55 per barrelWest Texas Intermediate: UP 1.6 percent at $65.04 per barrel

The UK, Japan and South Korea sweltered this year through the hottest summers since each country began keeping records, their weather agencies said Monday.Temperatures the world over have soared in recent years as human-induced climate change creates ever more erratic weather patterns.The UK’s provisional mean June-August temperature was 16.1C, which was 1.51C above the long-term average and surpassed all years since 1884, including the previous record, set in 2018, the Met Office said.The British summer saw four heatwaves, below-average rainfall and sustained sunshine, and followed the nation’s warmest spring in more than a century.Japan’s average temperature spike was even starker over the same three summer months, at 2.36C above “the standard value”, making it the hottest since records began in 1898, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said.It was the third consecutive summer of record high temperatures, the agency noted.This year’s scorching heat left some 84,521 people hospitalised nationwide from May 1 to August 24, according to Japan’s Fire and Disaster Management Agency.In South Korea, the average June-August temperature was 25.7C, “the highest since data collection began in 1973”, the Korea Meteorological Administration said in a press release.The previous record over the same period was 25.6C, set just last year.- ‘Very hot’ -Britain — known for its damp and grey climate — struggled through the record hot summer, which poses a host of challenges for a country ill-equipped for such conditions.Homes in the UK are designed to keep the heat in during the winter, and air conditioners are rare in homes and public places, such as much of London’s sprawling underground “Tube” metro system.”It’s hard to spend a hot day (here),” Ruidi Luan, a 26-year-old student from China, told AFP in London during the August heatwave.”There’s no air conditioner in our dorm. It is sometimes very hot, and especially in public transport.”Drought was declared in five out of 14 regions in England, while the Environment Agency classed the water shortfall as “nationally significant”, as farmers struggle with stunted harvests.In Tokyo, Miyu Fujita, a 22-year-old businesswoman, said she had mostly socialised indoors this summer to escape the oppressive temperatures.”When I was a child, summer was the time to go outside and play,” she told AFP. “Can kids play outside now? I think it’s impossible.”Japan’s beloved cherry trees are blooming earlier due to the warmer climate, or sometimes not fully blossoming because autumns and winters are not cold enough to trigger flowering, experts say.The famous snow cap of Mount Fuji was absent for the longest recorded period last year, not appearing until early November, compared with the average of early October.- National disaster -South Korea is meanwhile grappling with a prolonged drought that has hit the eastern coastal city of Gangneung.A state of national disaster has been declared in the city of 200,000 people, with water levels at the Obong reservoir, the city’s main source of piped water, falling below 15 percent.The dry spell has forced authorities to implement water restrictions, including shutting off 75 percent of household meters.Kim Hae-dong, professor of meteorological studies at Keimyung University, told AFP the hot weather streak was linked to “the weakening of Arctic cold air due to global warming”.”Because it is expected to continue weakening with global warming in place, we forecast similar weather patterns to repeat next year,” he said.Heatwaves are becoming more intense and frequent worldwide because of human-caused climate change, scientists say.The UK’s provisional record this year means all of its five warmest summers have taken place this century.The Met Office noted “a summer as hot or hotter than 2025 is now 70 times more likely than it would be in a ‘natural’ climate with no human caused greenhouse gas emissions”.But the speed of temperature increases across the world is not uniform.Of the continents, Europe has seen the fastest warming per decade since 1990, followed closely by Asia, according to global data from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.The United Nations warned last month that rising global temperatures are having an ever-worsening impact on the health of workers, and also hitting productivity, which they say dropped by two to three percent for every degree above 20C.burs-jj/jkb/jhb