In brief
In response to a surge of heat-related illnesses, Japan has introduced the Do Hiemon—portable cooling units dubbed "human fridges"—to provide relief in public spaces. Over the past two months, more than 53,000 people were treated for heatstroke and 79 people died from the heatwave. Each unit costs around 1.5 million yen ($9,407) and its design draws inspiration from modern freezer vending machines. The units are being deployed in city centers and sold to businesses to help reduce the health impact of rising temperatures.
Japan’s wildfire‑like summer heat has taken a toll: over the last two months more than 53,000 people received treatment for heatstroke, while 79 deaths were reported.
Faced with this crisis, companies are rolling out the Do Hiemon—literally a “Cooling Box”—in public spaces and selling units to businesses. Each unit costs 1.5 million yen (about $9,407), and the design was inspired by the layout of freezer‑vending machines.
The BBC’s Tokyo correspondent, Kurumi Mori, demonstrated how these portable cool‑stations work, offering a glimpse into a low‑carbon, high‑utility solution for mitigating heat‑related health risks in urban Japan.
