Why are ‘human fridges’ being sold in Japan?

As Japan swelters through extreme summer heat, BBC Tokyo correspondent Kurumi Mori tries out a new way to cool down.

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Japan is facing worsening summer heat. In the past two months more than 53,000 people have been treated for heatstroke, with 79 reported deaths.

Now, the Do Hiemon – which roughly translates to “The Cooling Box” – is being rolled out in public spaces and sold to businesses. A unit costs 1.5m¥ each ($9,407; £6,973). The company’s CEO Testsuya Nakayama told the BBC the design was inspired by freezer vending machines.

The BBC’s Tokyo correspondent Kurumi Mori got the chance to try it out.

32 minutes agoJapanAsiaJapan heatwavesShareSave

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