{
  "id": 3652282,
  "title": "Japan’s sumo chiefs trim tour dates, demand air con to beat summer heat",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/27/japans-sumo-chiefs-trim-tour-dates-demand-air-con-to-beat-summer-heat",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-27T03:17:45.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "South China Morning Post",
    "slug": "south-china-morning-post",
    "url": "https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3365391/japans-sumo-chiefs-trim-tour-dates-demand-air-con-beat-summer-heat"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Sumo chiefs are taking steps to combat Japan's scorching summer heat, which has caused wrestlers to perform in venues without air conditioning. Japan experienced its hottest summer ever last year, with temperatures reaching up to 40.4 degrees Celsius in Hakata ward, Fukuoka, due to typhoon-induced heat. Of the 914 observation points across the country, 246 reported temperatures above 35 degrees during the day, classified as \"cruelly hot\" and \"extremely hot,\" respectively. Scientists attribute the increased frequency and intensity of such weather to climate change. Sumo tournaments, which typically span 90 days, are scheduled to be shortened to around 70 days starting next summer, according to Takadagawa, a sumo tour chief. The wrestlers will stay in the same location for nearby venues and participate in shorter, two or three-day tournaments to reduce physical strain. The sumo season has already seen wrestlers perform at venues without air conditioning, leading to concerns about the wrestlers' safety. Recent cultural and sporting events have been adjusted to account for the heat.",
  "summary": "Sumo chiefs are planning measures to beat Japan’s increasingly punishing summer heat, including avoiding venues that do not have air conditioning and lightening the load on weary wrestlers. Japan sweltered through its hottest summer on record last year and parts of the country have hit 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) in recent days. Hakata ward in the southwestern city of Fukuoka on…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Sumo moves to beat Japan summer heat as temperatures rise",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/27/sumo-moves-to-beat-japan-summer-heat-as-temperatures-rise",
        "published": "2026-08-27T02:31:35.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}