Tokyo, Japan - July 26, 2024

From neck air-conditioners to backpacks with retractable umbrellas, cooling products were showcased at an exhibition in Japan's capital city of Tokyo from Wednesday to Friday as weltering heat is raging across the country.

Data showed that more than 9,000 people in Japan had been sent to hospitals because of heatstroke in the week ending on July 21, and many places in the country have reported the deaths of senior citizens due to heatstroke. Experts said that the average temperature in Tokyo this month was two degrees Celsius higher than that in previous years.

The Japan Meteorological Agency predicted that the country's temperature from August to October would also be higher than in that in the previous years, calling on the public to take measures to prevent heatstroke.

To help residents to fend off the heat, cooling items and gadgets were on display at the three-day exhibition.

One of the most eye-catching exhibits is a neck air-conditioner, which, working like a refrigerator, generates cold air through semiconductor refrigeration technology and passes it to the human body through the aluminum plates on both sides. It is also mounted with a small fan.

Other products for relief on sizzling hot days included umbrellas equipped with built-in fans, and air-conditioned clothes, with fans attached to the back of the clothing near the waist.

In addition to cooling items for daily use, gadgets to help workers beat extreme heat were also showcased.

A backpack with a retractable umbrella frees up its user's hands for other tasks such as carrying other items.

A smart watch assists employers in scheduling breaks and time off for staff members who work in hot environment, as it can collect and transmit its wearer's steps, pulse, calories consumed and other health data to the employer's computer, and analyze the physical condition of the wearer.

A company presented an outdoor cooling system which sprays mist without getting people wet.

Exhibitors said persistently hot weather has driven up their business.

"Sales have already reached 1.3 to 1.7 times the same period of last year. As high temperatures continue to last longer in Japan, sales of heatstroke prevention and cooling products are expected to continue to grow, possibly climbing to two to 2.5 times year on year," said Takiguchi Masataka, an exhibitor.

The exhibition attracted more than 40,000 visits.

SHOTLIST:
Tokyo, Japan - July 26, 2024
1. Exhibitors, visitors in cooling item exhibition;
2. Various of visitors trying neck air conditioners; neck air conditioners on display;
3. Various of umbrella equipped with built-in fan on display;
4. Various of air-conditioned clothes on display;
5. SOUNDBITE (Japanese) Masataka Takiguchi, exhibitor (partially overlaid with shot 6):
"Sales have already reached 1.3 to 1.7 times the same period of last year. As high temperatures continue to last longer in Japan, sales of heatstroke prevention and cooling products are expected to continue to grow, possibly climbing to two to 2.5 times year on year.";
[SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE]
6. Sign reading "Cooling Item Exhibition";
[SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE]
7. Exhibitors, visitors in cooling item exhibition;
8. Various of visitors trying backpacks with hands-free retractable umbrellas; backpack with hands-free retractable umbrella on display;
9. Various of exhibitor demonstrating smart watch; computer showing wear's health data;
10. Various of misting system on display.

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