Cooling costs soar in Japan, ‘lovebugs’ swarm South Korea as East Asia bakes in high heat

The poll also revealed 10 per cent of Japanese have set out to “tolerate” the heat no matter what in the coming months, while a further 33 per cent said they would try not to use the cooling device – but expected to relent if the temperatures become unbearable.

Alarmingly, most those saying they would attempt to get through the summer without air conditioning were elderly who live on pensions and savings, leaving them highly vulnerable to heatstroke.

And cases are already beginning to show up, with 19 people between the ages of 14 and…